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CALIFORNIA 


A   HISTORY   OF   UPPER   AND    LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

u 


This  Book 


is  one  of  a  limited  edition  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
copies,  the  impressions  being  taken  upon  hand-set  type, 
which  was  immediately  distributed.      This  copy  is 

No.  fS-r 

Signed  by  the  publisher 


s 


kii^ii&i;: 


S"^'^ 

i^'; 


i?^:- 


"^'^■^^^^^^^^ 


S.  DRtiMMOND,/>n:rt.,  Mexico,  7S32 

Father  Antonio  Peyri  {/Et.  67) 

Missionary  at  San   LuiS  Rey,  Upper  California 
I  ;  '.    ;      '  From  1799  to  1832 


Puhlished  by  T.  C.  RUSSELL.  San  Francitci 


CALIFORNIA 

A 

HISTORY  of  UPPER  &  LOWER  CALIFORNIA 
From  THEIR   FIRST  DISCOVERY  to  the  PRESENT  TIME 

Comprising 

An  ACCOUNT  of  the  CLIMATE,    SOIL,    NATURAL 
PRODUCTIONS,     AGRICULTURE,     COMMERCE 

&c. 

A    FULL   VIEW   of 

THE    MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS 

and  Condition  of  the 
Free  ©"  Domesticated 

INDIANS 

With  an  ^penbix  relating  to 

STEAM-NAVIGATION   IN   THE    PACIFIC 
SUu£(trateD 

With  a  New  Map,  Plans  of  the  Harbors 
and  Numerous  Engravings 


By 

ALEXANDER    FORBES,   ESO. 


Sleprinttb 

Page  /or  Page,  and  appnximalttj  Line  for  Line,  from  the  Originai.  Edition 
Published  by  SMITH,  ELDER  Sf  CO.,  London.<18J9,  and  to  Which  is  Added 

A  New  INDEX 


^an  Jfranciatco,  California 
THOMAS   C.  RUSSELL 

1734       Nineteenth      Avenue 

1919 


il 


-q^.^ 
,'^' 


fv.t. 


Copyright,  1919  ^  ^yO' 

^  Thomas  C.  Russell 


O'^ 


Printed  hy  Thomas  C.  Russell,  at  1734  Nineteenth  Avenue 
San  Francisco,  California,  United  States  0/ America 


PUBLISHER'S    FOREWORD 
TO     THE     REPRINT     EDITION 

/  speak  to  the  reader-^  let  the  ^writer  listen 

Orientai.  Pro\'KRB  (adapted) 

The  uppermost  thought  in  the  mind  of  the  publisher,  in  printing  this 
edition,  was  to  adhere  faithfully  to  the  text  of  the  original,  as  well  as 
to  maintain  a  line-for-line  and  page-for-page  plan.  Hence  the  text 
was  not  read  before  composition  for  the  purpose  of  correcting  errors. 
A  hasty,  superficial  examination,  however,  was  made,  in  order  that 
some  degree  of  accuracy  and  uniformity  might  be  established  for  the 
spelling  of  proper  names.  This  is  no  trifling  matter,  the  best-printed 
works  demonstrating  that  neither  absolute  accuracy  nor  uniformity  in 
this  respect  is  maintained,  or  is  even  attainable ;  and  who  shall  decide 
when  doctors  disagree  ^ 

The  experience  of  a  lifetime  spent  among  printers,  publishers,  and 
authors  has  proven  that  the  author's  MS.  is  entitled  to  respect  before 
a  change  is  made  at  the  hands  of  the  printer.  Such  is  indeed  the 
custom  in  all  good  book-printing  houses,  and  such  custom  should  also 
obtain  in  the  reprinting  of  a  book.  Hence  few  verbal  changes  were 
made  in  reprinting  this  work,  and  only  a  few  bracketed  corrections 
after  a  gross  error,  these  latter  being  inserted  interlinearly  sometimes. 
Much  more,  along  these  lines,  could  have  been  done  with  propriety, 
and  perhaps  should  have  been  done;  hence  it  must  not  be  presumed 
that  many  questionable  matters  were  passed  unnoticed.  Had  the 
original  MS.,  instead  of  the  printed  book,  been  used  as  "copy,"  no 
such  merciful  consideration  would  have  been  shown. 

The  typographical  expression  of  the  work  is  quite  as  faulty  as  the 
text  and  style  of  the  author;  and  although  there  are,  here  and  there 
throughout  the  work,  evidences  in  plenty  of  stately,  legitimate  book- 
composition,  yet  the  crudities  of  the  raw,  undisciplined  printer  prevail, 
manifested  in  inaccurate  syllabication,  over-capitalization,  punctuation 
showing  not  the  slightest  conception  of  the  text,  and  in  other  ways. 
These,  if  not  reformed  altogether,  are  reformed  indifferently,  at  least, 
in  the  reprinting. 

Let  us  consider,  first,  Spanish  words,  phrases,  and  nomenclature. 
Forbes  is  not  so  great  an  offender  as  many  present-day  writers  in  the 

Sa 


ba  PUBLISHER'S    FOREWORD 

matter  of  italicizing  Spanish  words  unnecessarily,  but,  like  these  writers, 
he  is  given  to  translation,  and,  what  is  worse,  to  half-translation.    As, — 

San  Juan  Baptista  (39)  San  Juan  Bautista 

Our  Lady  de  los  Dolores  (109)  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores 

Our  Lady  of  the  Regla  (119)  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Regla 

St.  John  Capistran  (126)  San  Juan  Capistrano 

If  it  is  proper  to  translate  the  Spanish  "Nuestra  Senora"  etc.  into  the 
English"  Our  Lady"  etc. ,  why  not  translate  "Dolores"  and  "Regla" 
also  ?  Both  are  translatable.  But  why  destroy  the  charm  of  the  ori- 
ginal Spanish .?  The  opinion  of  the  reader  without  understanding  is 
not  worthy  of  consideration.  Of  a  different  nature  is  the  clipped  form 
of  the  mission  name,  as  "  Dolores,"  "  San  Juan,"  etc. ;  but  clipping  is 
sometimes  mutilation,  as  '  *  San  Borja  "  for  "  San  Francisco  de  Borja ' ' 
{.vide  post y  p.  88). 

A  common  and  very  reprehensible  practice,  but  of  which  Forbes 
cannot  be  accused,  is  that  of  inserting  a  comma  in  the  names  of  the 
missions,  as  in  "San  Juan,  Bautista."  This  is  not  Spanish  usage,  nor 
is  there  any  usage  in  English  style  that  fits  the  case.  The  many  titles 
of  the  Spanish  monarch,  printed  in  full,  would  occupy  many  lines,  yet 
not  a  comma,  nor  other  mark  of  punctuation,  is  used  to  set  off  one 
title  from  another.  The  Spanish  idea  is  evident  to  a  thinking  person. 
The  offense  noted  is  aggravated  by  the  omission  of  the  graphic  accent 
and  the  substitution  of  a  French  twist  to  a  Spanish  word,  in  the  name 
of  a  mission,  as  in  "San  Fernando,  Rey  de  Espagna,' '  which,  in  turn,  is 
juggled  into  "San  Fernando,  Rey  de  Espagna."  The  Spanish  of  all 
this  is,  simply,  "San  Fernando  Rey  de  Espafia. " 

In  this  reprint  edition,  the  lists  of  missions  given  in  statistical  matter 
afforded  an  opportunity  to  print  the  names  of  the  Franciscan  missions 
accurately  (see  pp.  201,  202,  259-260),  while  the  index  afforded  the 
further  opportunity  of  adding  an  alternative  appellation,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  missions  of  San  Carlos  and  San  Francisco.  Forbes,  in  the  text, 
did  not  mention  each  and  every  mission. 

Spanish  usage  is  violated  also  by  Forbes  in  the  printing  of  personal 
names.  Thus  on  page  7,  the  name  of  Bezerra  de  Mendoza  is  clipped 
down  to  "Mendoza,"  and  did  not  the  immediate  context  make  mani- 
fest the  person  meant,  Hurtado  de  Mendoza,  another  explorer  sent 
out  previously  by  Cortes,  might  be  inferred.  In  the  instances  follow- 
ing, the  gross  error,  "Francis,"  printed  as  a  praenomen  of  Serra,  is 
probably  the  result  of  a  compositor's  attempt  to  improve"  upon  his 
"copy."  The  praenomens  "Vicente"  and  "Luis"  are  not  enough 
for  the  English  reader,  although  good  and  approved  Spanish  usage. 


PUBLISHER'S    FOREWORD 


la 


(48)  Guillem  (Guillen),  (79)  Cobrillo, 
Viscayno  (Cabrillo, Vizcaino),  (84)Vin- 
centeVilal,  (Vicente Vila),  (92)  Francis 
JuNiPERO    Serra,    Pedro    Foxes    (Fr. 


[Fray]  JunIpero  Serra,  Pedro  Pages), 
(115)  Aranza  (Anza),  (117)  Artiago 
(Arteaga),  (122)  Father Vincente,  Fa- 
ther Lewis  (Vicente  Fuster,  Luis  Jay  me ) . 


Quotations  from  other  authors  are  quite  numerous  in  the  original 
edition.  The  poet  Southey  suffered  a  Httle,  and,  in  reprinting,  a  few 
crudities  are  smoothed  out,  but  as  Forbes,  on  page  222,  seems  to  have 
purposely  rearranged  a  few  lines,  no  change  is  made.  Vancouver  was 
badly  misquoted,  and  the  original  language  is  restored,  as  below,  the 
italic  indicating  most  of  such  restorations.  But  how  could  underwood 
that  did  not  exist  have  any  appearance  .'' 


their  sides  and  summits  exhibited  a  high 
degree  of  luxuriant  fertility,  interspersed 
with  copses  of  various  forms  and  magni- 
tude, and  verdant  open  spaces  enriched 
with  stately  fruit  trees  of  of  different 
descriptions.  .  .  .  the  underwood,  that 
had  probably  attained  its  early  growth, 
had  the  appearance  of  having  been  cleared 
away,  .  .  .  which,  with  the  lofty  range 
of  mountains    [170] 


their  sides  and  summits  exhibited  a  high 
degree  of  luxuriant  fertility,  interspersed 
with  copses  of  various  forms  and  magni- 
tude, verdant  open  spaces,  and  enriched 
with  stately  forest  trees  of  different 
descriptions.  .  .  .  the  underwood,  that 
had  probably  attended  its  early  growth, 
had  the  appearance  of  having  been  cleared 
away,  .  .  .  which,  with  the  range  of  lofty 
rugged  mountains 


Beech ey,  on  the  other  hand,  is  cited  exactly  by  Forbes  as  to  figures, 
signs,  and  words.  Thus  on  page  165,  the  mean  annual  temperature 
of  San  Francisco  is  given  as  53°  2'.  This  is  inaccurate  notation.  The 
figure  2  here  is  a  decimal.  The  ichthyologist,  as  well  as  the  meteor- 
ologist, should  have  had  his  day  in  court  with  Beechey.     Thus:  — ■ 


In  the  bay  of  Monterey  we  noticed  the 
scomber  colias  and  another  kind  of  mack- 
arel,  the  torpedo  and  another  species  of 
raia,  achimara,  and  swarms  of  small  fish 
resembling  the  Sardinia.  Muscles  are 
found  in  considerable  quantities.  .  .  . 
Besides  these  shell  fish,  there  were  no- 
ticed afew  patella,  limpet,  turbo,  cardium, 
and  mya  shells,  and  among  other  lepas, 
a  rare  species  of  /.  anotifera  and  a  chiton 
{tunicatus }) .     [179] 


In  the  Bay  of  Monterey  we  noticed  the 
Scomber  colias  and  another  kind  of  mack- 
erel, the  torpedo  and  another  species  of 
Raia,  a  Chimara,  and  swarms  of  small 
fish  resembling  the  sardine.  Mussels  are 
found  in  considerable  quantities.  .  .  . 
Besides  these  shell-fish,  there  were  no- 
ticed a  few  Patella,  limpet,  Turbo,  Car- 
dium, and  Mya  shells,  and,  among  other 
l^pas,  a  rare  species  of  Lepas  anatifera, 
and  a  Chiton  (tunicatus  }) . 


Nor  did  Beechey  have  much  respect  for  or  knowledge  of  la  lengua 
castellana.      Note  particularly  the  punctuation. 

The  neophytes  being  thus  arranged,  the  The  neophytes  being  thus  arranged,  the 

speaker  began:  "  Santissima,  Trinidada,  speaker  began,  '  Santisima  Trinidad, — 

Dios,  Jesu  Christo,  Espiritu  Santo" —  Dios,JesuCristo[orJesucristo],Espiritu 

pausing  between  each  name    [217]  Santo,'  pausing  between  each  name 


Sa  PUBLISHER'S    FOREWORD 

Uniformity  in  matters  orthographical  was  sought  to  be  attained  in 
reprinting,  although  many  archaic  and  obsolete  spellings  are  retained. 
American  usage,  it  will  be  observed,  prevails,  however.  One  more 
example  of  changes  made  should  suffice  to  show  the  necessity  for 
typographical  revision  throughout  the  work. 

its  government  has  been  hitherto  con-  its  government  has  been  hitherto  con- 

trouled  by  persons  who  have  not  put  trolled  by  persons  who   have  not  put 

in  practice  not  even  the  rudiments  of  an  in  practice   even  the   rudiments  of  an 

enlightened  policy    [305]  enlightened  policy 

Incidental  remarks  are  made,  in  this  Foreword,  to  the  typographical 
aberrations  in  other  works.  In  mercy,  their  names  are  not  mentioned. 
In  few  of  them  is  there  displayed  the  technical  skill  of  the  disciplined 
book-printer.  A  finished  book  can  be  printed  only  in  a  book-printing 
house,  with  its  staff  of  experienced  book-compositors,  skilled  proof- 
readers, and  competent  executives.  Even  here  gross  errors  of  many 
kinds  escape  the  sharpest  eyes  and  the  keenest  wits.  The  Riverside 
Press,  of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  has  a  reputation  second  to  none 
for  typographical  accuracy,  yet  Royce's  California,  in  the  handsome 
American  Commonwealths  series,  issued  from  that  press,  is  spotted 
with  such  errors  as  those  following. 

Brooks  seems  to  be  a  perfeecly  trust-  munication  from  him  [Buch-/anan  is  the 
worthy  observer.  [289]  antecedent  oi  Aim']," 6ut I recei'vet/ not/f- 
The  little  one  chose  with  ecstatic  delight  ing. ' '  The  italics  are  as  printed  in  the 
some  tiny  scent-bottles,  which  she  called  copy  before  me.  [132] 
"baby-decanters."  [348]  (14)  Crespi  (Crespi),  (17)  Rezanof 
"Your  letter,"  says  the  captain  to  the  (Rezanof,  or  Rezanoff),  (23)  Hijar  (Hi- 
senator,  "led  me  to  expect  some  com-  jar),  (24)  Guteirrez  (Gutierrez). 

The  error  "perfeecly ' '  was  probably  made  in  correcting,  and  escaped 
the  reviser.  By  baby- decanter"  a  toy  or  small  decanter  is  meant; 
hence  the  hyphen  is  improperly  used.  Buch-/anan"  is  an  inaccurate 
division ;  the  syllabication  is,  Bu-/chan-/an.  The  redundant  quotation- 
marks  preceding  the  phrase  '  l?ut  I"  etc.  may  have  been  inserted  in 
making  an  author's  change;  such  errors  are  generally  corrected  in  the 
first  reading,  but  may  escape  the  reviser  if  not  corrected  in  the  type. 


It  is  too  much  to  hope  that  this  reprint  edition  is  free  from  the  many 
lapses  to  which  type,  with  the  innate  perversity  of  all  things  inanimate, 
is  prone,  or  that  it  is  free  from  lapses  traceable  to  other  sources.  The 
letterpress, —  this  term  includes  type-setting,  proof-reading,  and  press- 
work, —  as  well  as  the  index-making,  of  this  reprint  is  the  result  of 
the  labor  of  one  hand  and  mind.  The  reader  who  is  familiar  with  the 
procedure  in  a  well-regulated  book-printing  house  will  understand. 


ALEXANDER     FORBES 

The  AUTHOR  of  This  WORK 

Bibliographers  have  little  to  say  about  the  author  of  this  History  of 
California  ;  they  confine  their  annotations  almost  exclusively  to  the 
work  itself.  The  name  Forbes  appears  quite  frequently  in  California 
history,  and  this  fact  has  led  to  much  confusion  as  to  the  identity  of 
the  author.  The  publisher  of  this  reprint  edition  is  indebted  to  Mr. 
Milton  J.  Ferguson,  the  librarian  of  the  California  State  Library  at 
Sacramento,  for  a  cameragraph  copy  of  an  article  which  appeared  in 
the  San  Francisco  Evening  Bulletin  of  January  9,  1864,  which  clearly 
settles  this  matter,  and  at  the  same  time  unfolds  much  interesting,  and 
what  was  at  one  time  perplexing,  detail.  This  article,  so  far  as  it 
relates  to  Forbes,  is  reprinted  here  without  the  slightest  change. 

Made  Their  "Piles"  before  1848  —  Pacific  Coast  Notables 

Late  papers  from  the  East  bring  news  of  the  death  of  two  noted  rich  men,  who 
made  their  "piles"  from  California  long  before  the  discovery  of  gold,  and  are 
intimately  connected  with  the  first  developments  of  her  commerce,  and  somewhat 
of  her  literature. 

The  first  of  these  is  Alexander  Forbes,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  house  of 
Barron,  Forbes  &  Co.,  of  Tepic,  in  Mexico,  who  died  in  the  city  of  London  in 
the  early  part  of  1863.  In  California  literature  he  is  known  as  the  author  of  '^ 
A  History  of  Upper  and  Longer  California,  from  their  first  Disco-very  to  the  Present 
Time  —  comprising  an  account  of  the  climate,  soil,  mission  establishments,  etc., 
published  in  an  octavo  volume  at  London,  in  1839.  Though  without  pretension 
or  display  of  literary  talent,  Mr.  Forbes  gives  in  his  work  very  useful  and  excellent 
information,  and  his  map  of  the  country  which  is  the  best  of  the  time,  lays  down 
data  entirely  ignored  by  map-makers  up  even  to  1846  — so  slow  did  knowledge 
penetrate  into  book-makers'  heads,  until  their  eyes  were  limned  with  the  lustre  of 
gold,  or  of  the  new  era  which  California  has  opened  to  human  progress. 

Mr.  Forbes  is  said  to  have  been  largely  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in 
Buenos  Ayres  before  1825,  about  which  period  he  became  connected  with  Eustacio 
Barron,  who  had,  during  the  wars  of  Napoleon  in  Spain,  acted  as  officer  in  the 
British  forces  in  the  peninsula,  opposed  to  the  French  Emperor,  and  who  was 
appointed  British  Consul-General  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  about  1835,  where  he  was 
universally  esteemed  and  respected.  He  died  in  that  city  about  1857.  The  prin- 
cipal establishment  of  the  new  house  was  at  Tepic,  where  for  many  years  under 
the  style  of  their  well-known  firm  they  have  dispensed  iiospitality  like  magnificos, 
and  carried  on  to  the  present  time  the  most  extensive  commercial  transactions  of 
any  mercantile  concern  on  the  Pacific  coast  of  Mexico.  This  business,  together 
with  their  manufactory  of  cotton  fabrics  near  Tepic,  realized  immense  profits, 
greatly  augmented  since  1853  from  the  operations  growing  out  of  the  celebrated 

9a 


10.  FORBES:    THE    AUTHOR 

New  Almaden  mine,  in  Santa  Clara  county,  the  developments  of  which  awakened 
only  in  1863  the  attention  of  the  Spanish  Government  as  affecting  the  demand  of 
quicksilver  from  the  old  Almaden,  which  has  been  worked  since  the  birth  of  Christ. 

During  the  California  revolution  of  1846,  Gen.  Jose  Castro  found  his  way  to 
Tepic,  and  there  sold  to  Alexander  Forbes  his  share  of  the  New  Almaden  mine. 
The  sagacity  of  Forbes  and  his  knowledge  of  the  great  value  which  would  attach 
to  a  competitor  of  Old  Almaden,  induced  him  immediately  after  to  hurry  on  his 
way  to  Alta  California  and  verify  by  actual  sight  the  extent  of  his  "streak  of  luck  " 
—  this  windfall  from  the  bag  of  fortune.  When  he  arrived,  he  found  the  Ameri- 
cans in  possession  of  this  country,  and  being  satisfied  that  Eolus  had  wafted  his 
bark  to  one  of  the  rich  ports  of  Mercury,  took  possession  of  his  vein  of  cinnabar; 
and  all  the  first  outlays  between  1847  and  1854,  were  done  under  his  immediate 
orders,  either  on  the  spot  before  July,  1848,  or  in  Mexico  afterwards,  before  his 
retirement  to  England,  about  1856,  on  the  dissolution  of  the  old  firm. 

Our  California  author  was  the  brother  of  the  eminent  London  physician.  Sir 
John  Forbes,  lately  deceased,  among  whose  family  he  "willed"  $250,000  and  left 
also  the  valuable  real  property  he  died  possessed  of  in  England,  his  nephew,  Alex- 
ander C.  Forbes,  being  his  principal  legatee.  Since  his  return  to  England,  after 
thirty  years  spent  in  Spanish  America,  he  resided  on  his  estate  of  Whitechurch  in 
Oxfordshire,  or  at  his  town  house  in  Piccadilly;  but  It  seems  he  died  a  bachelor 
of  some  seventy  years  and  left  neither  chick  nor  child.  Both  Forbes  and  Barron, 
whose  names  are  now  as  well  stuck  to  California  as  they  are  to  Ireland  and  Scot- 
land, were  nearly  connected  with  respectable  and  ancient  families  mentioned  in  the 
chronicles  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  but  no  library.  Institution  of  learning,  or 
relief  to  their  fellow  men  in  the  California  countries,  were  remembered  by  them  in 
their  wills.  Before  they  died,  various  of  our  lawyers  and  speculators  had  thinned 
their  purses,  and  no  doubt  they  hurled  a  few  quiet  curses  at  the  name  of  California. 
As  the  Spaniards  say,  they  were  muy  enojada  con  Alta  California ;  and  they  unhap- 
pily cut  her  off  with  less  than  a  shilling. 

The  other  notable  referred  to  in  the  introductory  paragraph  of  the 
preceding  article  was  William  Sturgis,  of  Boston,  to  whom  Alfred 
Robinson  dedicated  his  now  rare  old  book.  Life  in  California  (1846). 


From  Bancroft's  History  of  California  (vol.  Iv,  p.  152) 
"  Forbes'  book  was  not  only  the  first  ever  published  in  English  relating  exclu- 
sively to  California,  and  more  than  any  other  tlie  means  of  making  known  to  English 
readers  the  country's  advantages,  but  It  has  always  maintained  Its  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  best  extant  on  the  subject." 

From  Allibone's  Dictionary  of  English  Literature 
"This  work  furnishes  us  with  a  striking  illustration  of  the  wretchedness  of  man, 
if  he  lives  without  exchange  and  well-developed  property,  even  though  surrounded 
by  a  bountiful  nature." — Lieber's  Essays  on  Property  and  Labour,  p.  140;  148, 149. 
"A  valuable  work.  The  author  was  one  of  the  first  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race 
to  explore  this,  till  lately,  unknown  country;  he  reaped  the  reward  of  his  enterprise 
by  securing  the  possession  of  the  great  quicksilver  mines,  now  worked  by  the  firm 
of  which  he  is  the  head." 

"A  work  of  superior  excellence  and  most  useful  instruction." — Chancellor 
Kent. 


CALIFORNIA: 

A  HISTORY 

OF 

UPPER   AND   LOWER   CALIFORNIA 

FROM  THEIR  FIRST  DISCOVERY  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME, 
COMPRISING 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  CLIMATE,  SOIL,  NATURAL  PRODUCTIONS, 
AGRICULTURE,  COMMERCE, 

A  PULL  VIEW  OP 

THE    MISSIONARY  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  CONDITION 
OF  THE  FREE  AND  DOMESTICATED  INDIANS. 

WITH  AN  APPENDIX  RELATING  TO 

STEAM    NAVIGATION    IN  THE   PACIFIC. 

ILLUSTRATED  WITH  A  NEW  MAP,  PLANS  OF  THE  HARBOURS, 
AND  MUHEROCS  ENGRAVINGS. 


BY  ALEXANDER  FORBES,  ESQ. 


LONDON: 
SMITH,    ELDER    AND   CO.   CORNHILL. 

1839. 


TO 
JOHN     FORBES,    M.  D.,    F.  R.  S. 

£ffc.    ^c    &c. 

My    dear    Brother, — 

I  herewith  send  you,  such 
as  it  is,  my  work  on  California,  in  which  I  have 
attempted  to  give  some  account  of  that  very 
remarkable  and  Httle  -  known  country.  If,  on 
perusing  my  papers,  you  deem  them  worthy  of 
pubHcation,  let  them  be  published ;  but,  in  that 
case,  you  must  not  only  be  the  Editor  of  my 
book,  but  its  foster  -  father  ;  and  as  it  usually 
happens  with  adopted  children  that  they  are  more 
indebted  to  those  who  train  them  to  manhood 
than  to  those  who  give  them  existence,  so  it 
may  well  be  that  my  "California,"  if  found  to 
possess  any  merit  by  the  public,  shall  owe  more 
to  your  care  than  to  the  capability  of  its  original 
author.      I   need  not  tell  you   how  little  accustomed 

iii  A  2 


iv  DEDICATION 

I  am  to  literary  labors  of  any  kind,  and  you 
well  know  that  my  present  position  puts  it  even 
out  of  my  power  to  take  advantage  of  those 
emendations  or  improvements  which  are  apt 
to  suggest  themselves  during  the  progress  of  a 
work  through  the  press.  In  all  these  things, 
then,  I  claim  the  help  of  your  more  experienced 
hand,  and  trust  implicitly  to  your  judgment  and 
kindness. 

Should  you  decide  on  publishing  my  history 
of  California,  I  request  that  you  will  place  this 
letter  at  its  head,  as  a  Dedication  to  yourself, 
as,  whatever  be  its  fate  as  a  book,  I  am  most 
desirous  that  it  should,  at  least,  bear  witness  to 
all  those  of  its  readers,  who  know  either  you  or 
me,  with  what  sincere  esteem  and  regard 
I   always   am,   my   dear   brother, 

Yours   faithfully   and   affectionately, 

Alexander   Forbes. 

Tepic,  Zlnd  October y  1835. 


PREFACE 

The  chief  part  of  the  following  work  was  transmitted 
from  Mexico  to  the  editor  three  years  ago.  Circum- 
stances, which  it  is  unnecessary  here  to  mention, 
deferred  its  publication  to  the  present  time.  This 
delay,  although  in  some  respects  to  be  regretted, 
has  been  attended  with  several  advantages.  It  has 
enabled  the  author  to  forward  to  the  editor  some 
additional  matter  of  importance,  particularly  the 
account  of  the  recent  declaration  of  independence 
by  California.  This  and  other  additions  have  been 
inserted   in   their   proper   places. 

In  another  respect,  also,  the  delay  in  the  pub- 
lication has  perhaps  been  rather  fortunate  than 
otherwise.  The  changed  relations  of  California 
with  Mexico,  and  the  new  relations  with  other 
states  thence  likely  to  accrue  ;  the  existing 
position  of  Mexico  in  regard  both  to  France  and 
England ;  and,  above  all,  the  great  interest  just  now 
excited   in   the   commercial   world    by   the   projected 


vi  PREFACE 

improvement  between  the  different  Spanish-American 
states,  and  between  Great  Britain  and  them,  by 
means  of  steam-navigation,  —  all  these  will  probably 
render  the  work  more  attractive  to  many  readers 
at  the  present  moment,  than  it  would  have  been 
three   years   ago. 

The  greater  part  of  the  contents  of  the  volume, 
however,  the  editor  believes,  stands  in  no  need  of 
any  adventitious  help  to  make  it  interesting  to 
most  readers.  The  ample  details  which  it  contains 
of  the  spiritual  conquest  (as  it  has  been  called) 
of  California,  —  that  is,  of  the  entire  subjection  of 
the  native  inhabitants  by  the  Spanish  missionary 
priests,  —  and  the  striking  view  which  it  presents  of 
the  singular  system  of  civil  polity  and  ecclesiastical 
slavery  which  has  been  the  result  of  this  conquest, 
and  still  exists  in  full  activity,  are  matters  which 
cannot  fail  to  engage  the  attention  of  all  who 
delight  to  view  man  in  novel  and  strange  aspects, 
and  under  the  influence  of  circumstances  calculated 
to  try  the  good  and  the  evil  parts  of  his  nature. 
The  editor  believes  that  the  present  volume  contains 
a  much  fuller  account  of  all  these_  things  than  is  to 
be  found  in  any  other  work. 

An   interest   of   a   very   different    kind   will    attach 


PREFACE  vu 

to  that  portion  of  the  volume  —  a  large  portion 
—  which  relates  to  the  natural  character  and  pro- 
ductions of  the  country,  the  actual  state  of  its 
agriculture  and  commerce,  and  its  capabilities  as 
a  field  for  European  colonization.  In  this  respect, 
the  present  work  seems  calculated  to  give  rise  to 
much  speculation,  if  not  to  important  enterprises 
of  a  practical  kind.  Respecting  the  suggestion, 
thrown  out  by  the  author,  of  the  chance  now 
offered  to  the  people  of  Great  Britain,  of  getting  a 
footing  in  Upper  California,  either  by  the  voluntary 
cession  of  the  country  to  the  state,  or  to  a  com- 
pany, as  a  consideration  for  debts  not  likely  to  be 
otherwise  discharged,  the  editor  offers  no  opinion. 
It  seems,  however,  to  be  one  not  unworthy  the 
attention  of  the  parties  involved  in  the  public  loan 
to  Mexico,  or  even  of  the  British  government 
itself. 

In  preparing  the  MS.  for  the  press,  the  editor 
has,  in  accordance  with  the  author's  wish, 
added,  in  the  body  of  the  volume,  various 
brief  extracts,  here  and  there,  from  the  works  of 
travelers  who  have  visited  California,  and  which 
he  thought  would  render  the  original  account  more 
interesting,   by   giving  some   additional   details.      His 


viii  PREFACE 

authorities  are,  here,  chiefly,  Laperouse,  Vancouver, 
Langsdorff,  and  Beechey,  —  all  of  whose  works 
contain  very  interesting,  and  no  doubt  very 
accurate,  accounts  of  the  state  of  the  country  at 
the  time  they  visited  it.  These  additions,  and  the 
arrangement  of  the  original  materials  in  a  some- 
what more  book- like  shape,  are  all  the  share 
that  the  editor  can  claim  in  the  present  work. 
The  author  wishes  to  be  considered  responsible 
for  everything  else,  whether  matter  of  fact  or 
matter    of    opinion. 

For  the  matter  in  the  appendix,  however,  the 
editor  is  solely  responsible  ;  but  he  trusts  the 
author  will  not  hesitate  to  sanction  an  addition 
which  must  prove  both  useful  and  interesting  to 
his   readers. 

The  first  document  in  the  appendix — the  account 
of  the  ports  of  California,  by  Captain  Hall  —  is  so 
intimately  connected  with  the  subject  of  the  work 
that  it  cannot  fail  to  be  regarded  as  an  important 
addition  to  its  contents  ;  and  the  editor  regrets 
that  he  neglected  to  apply  for  the  information  at 
an  earlier  period,  in  order  that  it  might  have  been 
incorporated  with  the  topographical  details  in  the 
third   chapter  of  the   second   part  of  the   volume. 


PREFACE  ix 

The  remaining  documents  in  the  appendix — those 
relating  to  the  projected  plan  of  steam -navigation 
in  the  Pacific,  and  a  more  speedy  communication 
between  the  western  coasts  of  the  American  conti- 
nent and  England  —  likewise  appear  to  the  editor 
of  too  much  importance  in  themselves,  and  too  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  interests  of  the  countries 
described  in  the  work,  to  be  withheld  from  the 
reader.  Whatever  tends  to  facilitate  and  improve 
the  navigation  and  commerce  of  the  more  southern 
states  must  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  condi- 
tion of  California,  —  a  country  which  will  be  found 
to  be  pre-eminently  calculated  to  be  the  granary 
of  South  America,  and  whose  present  emancipated 
condition  will  doubtless  greatly  augment  its  com- 
merce generally.  It  cannot  be  for  a  moment 
doubted  that  if  the  projected  line  of  navigation 
were  established  between  Valparaiso  and  Panama, 
it  would  speedily  be  prolonged  northward  to 
Guatemala,  Acapulco,  and  San  Bias,  on  the  Mexican 
coast,  and  from  thence  to  Upper  California,  either 
by  the  Pacific  coast  to  San  Diego,  Santa  Barbara, 
Monterey,  and  San  Francisco,  or  along  the  gulf 
northward  to  the  Rio  Colorado.  The  editor  has 
learned     from    a    gentleman,    acquainted     with    the 


X  PREFACE 

navigation  of  those  seas,  that  not  only  the  Gulf  of 
California  is  perfectly  navigable  by  steam-vessels  to 
its  upper  extremity,  but  that  the  Rio  Colorado  is 
so,  also,  up  to  its  junction  with  the  Gila.  As  to 
the  probability  of  the  speedy  accomplishment  of  the 
designs  of  the  projected  company,  the  editor  is  not 
in  a  situation  to  pronounce  an  opinion  ;  but  when 
we  consider  with  what  gigantic  steps  Steam  has 
proceeded  since  its  birth,  the  wonders  it  has  already 
wrought  in  its  mere  infancy,  and  the  wealth  and 
enterprise  of  British  merchants,  there  certainly  seems 
no  more  reason  for  doubting  that  the  splendid 
scheme  will  be  realized  at  no  distant  date,  than 
there  can  be  any  question  as  to  the  vast  benefits  its 
accomplishment  must  confer  upon  the  countries  to 
which   it   refers. 

By  the  message  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  to  the  two  Houses  of  Congress,  of  the  4th 
instant,  it  is  clear  that  by  the  convention  between 
Russia  and  the  United  States,  made  in  April,  1824, 
no  settlements  on  the  northwest  coast  were  to  be 
formed  by  Russian  subjects,  or  under  the  authority 
of  Russia,  southward  of  north  latitude  50°  40'. 
Nevertheless,  long  before  that  convention,  and  ever 
since,  Russia  has  held  her  settlement  of  La  Bodega,  in 


PREFACE  xi 

north  latitude  38°  19',  as  shown  by  the  map.  It  is 
not  in  accordance  with  the  usual  spirit  of  the  United 
States,  in  enforcing  the  due  fulfillment  of  all  treaties 
affecting  their  boundaries,  to  have  acquiesced  so  long 
in  this  flagrant  infraction,  but  perhaps,  as  the 
Russian  intrusion  was  not  upon  their  territories, 
but  upon  those  of  Mexico,  they  did  not  think  it 
worth  their  while  to  complain.  However,  by  the 
refusal  of  Russia  to  renew  the  above  convention, 
it  appears  that  the  Emperor  does  not  wish  that  his 
subjects  settled  southward  of  50°  40',  north  latitude, 
should  be  subject  to  any  molestation,  or  that  they 
should  be  prevented  from  making  fresh  settlements 
in   other   places. 

The  editor  does  not  think  that  the  attention  of 
the  governments  of  Mexico,  the  United  States,  and 
Great  Britain  has  been  sufficiently  drawn  to  Russian 
policy  on  the   northwest   coast   of   America. 

The  editor  cannot  close  this  prefatory  notice  with- 
out expressing,  in  the  author's  name  and  his  own, 
the  obligations  they  owe  to  their  friends  Captain 
Smyth,  R.  N.,  R.  C.  WyUie,  Esq.,  and  John  Hall, 
Esq.,  for  their  kind  assistance  in  rendering  the  work 
more  worthy  of  the  reader's  attention.  For  nearly 
all   the   pictorial   illustrations   the   author  is  indebted 


xii  PREFACE 

to  the  elegant  pencil  of  Captain^  Smyth,  which  has 
never  failed  to  perpetuate  the  more  remarkable 
scenes  of  the  numerous  countries  visited  by  him. 
The  plans  of  all  the  harbors  delineated  on  the 
map  (with  the  exception  of  San  Francisco,  copied 
from  Captain  Beechey's  excellent  chart  in  the  Admi- 
ralty) have  been  furnished  by  Captain  Hall  from  his 
own  original  surveys.  To  Mr.  Wyllie,  whose  former 
residence  in  Mexico  rendered  his  opinion  important 
on  many  points,  the  editor  is  indebted  for  several 
valuable  suggestions  and  much  active  assistance  during 
the  progress  of  the  work  through  the  press. 

J-  F. 

Chichester,  December  24,  1838. 


CONTENTS 


INTRODUCTION 


Part  I 
LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

CHAPTER    I 

History  of  Lower  California  from  Its  Discovery  to  Its 
First  Settlement  by  the  Jesuits. — Native  Inhabitants. 
—  Nature  of  the  Country 7 

CHAPTER    II 

Progress  of  the  Jesuits  to  the  Death  o/ Father  Kino.  —  Mode 

of  Converting  the  Indians 27 

CHAPTER    III 
Progress  oJ  the  Missions  to  the  Present  Time 46 

CHAPTER    IV 

Character  (?/'//'f  Missionary  Government.  —  Present  State 
^of  the  Country.  —  Produce.  —  Pearl-Fishery.     ...     56 

xiii 


xiv  CONTENTS 

Part  II 
UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

CHAPTER    I 

First  Settlement  of  Upper  California  by  the  Franciscans. 

— History  of  the  Missions  to  the  Death  of  Father  Serra     79 

CHAPTER    II 

Recent  History  of  Upper  California.  —  Present  Political 

Condition  and  Prospects 131 

CHAPTER    III 
Topography  (j/ Upper  California. — Natural  Productions  154 

CHAPTER    IV 

Some  Account  of  the  Original  Inhabitants  o/ Upper  Cali- 
fornia.—  Their  Manners  and  Customs 180 

CHAPTER    V 

Account  o/"  Ml?  Missionary  Establishments.  —  Present  State 
of  the  Indians  in  Them.  —  Remarks  on  the  Missionary 
System  Generally,  and  on  the  Conversion  of  Infidels    .    199 

CHAPTER    VI 

State  o/ Agriculture  in  Upper  California.  —  Its  Produce 

in  Grain  and  Live-Stock 246 

CHAPTER    VII 

Commerce  o/ Upper  California, — Navigation.  —  Revenues  281 

CHAPTER    VIII 

Upper  California  Considered  as  a  Field  y2ir  Foreign  Colo- 
nization   309 


CONTENTS  XV 


APPENDIX 


I 

REMARKS    on    the    HARBORS    of  CALIFORNIA.      By 

Captain   John    Hall 327 


II 

On  STEAM-NAVIGATION  in  the  PACIFIC.      Remarks 

by  a  Former  Resident 332 

III 
EXTRACTS 

I 

PANAMA  and  the  PACIFIC.  A  Memorandum  Sent  to  the 
Foreign  Office,  on  the  Advantage  of  Using  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama  as  a  More  Rapid  Means  of  Communication 
between  Europe  and  the  Ports  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  By 
the  Hon.  P.  Campbell  Scarlett 343 

II 

Extract yrow  "Statements  and  Documents  Relative  to  the 
Establishment  of  Steam -Navigation  in  the  Pacific." 
By  William  Wheelwright,  Esq. 346 

Letter  from  Captain  Fitz  Roy 350 

III 

Extract  from  the  Prospectus  of  the  ' '  Pacific  Steam  Naviga- 
tion Company,"  to  be  Incorporated  by  Royal  Charter. 
Capital,  ;^250,000,  in  5,000  Shares  of  ;^50  Each. 
Issued  November  5,   1838 351 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PLATES 

1.  Portrait  of  Father  Peyri Frontispiece 

2.  Portrait  of  a  Native  Indian      .     ...  To  face  page      7 

3.  View  of  the  Bay  of  Monterey 105 

4.  View  of  the  Harbor  of  San  Francisco 127 

5.  View  of  Santa  Barbara 167 

6.  Indian  Hot-Air  Bath,  or  Temescal 197 

7.  View  o///"^  Mission  (jy  San  Carlos  tfW  Bay  o/"  Monterey  199 

8.  View  of  the  Presidio  and  Pueblo  (j/^  Monterey  ....   203 

9.  View  o/ /^^  Mission  o/ San  Francisco 211 

10.  Th rowing //6^  Lasso.   ^/^^Viewo//^^?  Mission  oySAN  Jose  273 

Californian  Plow  {woodcut) ■ 248 

N.  B.  —  In  the  luoodcut  of  the  Californian  ploiv  (page  248), 

the  small  ^wedge-shaped  figure  is  intended  to  represent  a  section 

of  the  SOLE,  or  main  piece  of  the  plonu 

MAP  of  CALIFORNIA At  the  end  of  the  work 

xvi 


CALIFORNIA 

The  extensive  tract  of  country  comprised  under 
the  general  name  of  California,  or  the  Cali- 
FORNiAS,  constitutes,  at  present,  part  of  the  Mexi- 
can republic,  and  was  formerly  included  in  the 
viceroyalty  of  New  Spain.  It  extends  along  the 
border  of  the  great  Pacific  Ocean,  which  bounds  it 
on  the  west.  The  northern  limit  of  the  country 
actually  settled  by  the  Spaniards  is  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco,  the  entrance  of  which  lies  in  37°  48'  N. 
lat. ;  but  right  of  territory  is  claimed  by  the  Mexican 
government  much  farther  north, — indeed,  far  beyond 
the  Russian  settlement  of  Bodega,  which  lies  in  lat. 
38°  \9\  The  southern  boundary  is  Cape  San  Lu- 
cas, the  extremity  of  the  peninsula  of  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, and  lies  in  N.  lat.  22°  48'.  The  longitude 
of  Cape  San  Lucas  is  109°  47'  W.,  and  that  of  San 
Francisco  122°  27"  W. ;  consequently  the  direction 
of  the  coast  is  towards  the  northwest.  This  exten- 
sive  country  is  bounded  on  the   east  by  the   Gulf  of 

1  1  B 


:  ;;;;2':;;    ;  ,;.,;';  CALIFORNIA 

California,  the  Rio  Colorado,  or  Red  River,  and  the 
Indian  territory,  which  also  limits  it  on  the  north. 

Since  the  division  of  the  Mexican  republic  into 
federal  states,  the  whole  of  California  has  been 
erected  into  what  is  termed  a  "territory,"  which 
differs  from  a  state  in  this,  that  it  has  not  an  elective 
governor  or  legislature,  but  is  under  the  immediate 
control  of  the  general  government  of  Mexico,  which 
appoints  its  governor,  under  the  name  of  com- 
mandant-general, and  all  the  subordinate  officers, 
civil  and  military. 

Although  now  constituting  only  one  territory  or 
province,  in  a  political  sense,  this  extensive  region 
has  always  been  considered  as  two  distinct  coun- 
tries ;  and  indeed  they  are  well  entitled  to  be  so 
considered,  both  from  their  natural  differences  and 
their  civil  history.  The  name  of  California  was 
for  nearly  two  hundred  years  exclusively  applied  to 
the  great  peninsula  which  is  now  termed  Old  or 
Lower  California,  and  which  is  arbitrarily  bounded 
on  the  north  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  top  of  the 
Gulf  of  California  to  the  shore  of  the  Pacific,  con- 
siderably to  the  southward  of  the  port  of  San 
Diego.  After  the  discovery  and  settlement,  by  the 
Spaniards,  of  the  country  to  the  north  of  this 
peninsula,  and  which  was  also  named  California, 
as  being  part  of  the  same  tract  of  coast  and  in- 
habited  by  the   same   race  of   people,  the   distinctive 


CALIFORNIA  3 

appellations  of  Upper  and  Lower,  or  New  and  Old, 
California  became  necessary,  and  have  since  been 
universally  applied  ;  the  peninsula  being  termed 
Lower^  as  being  in  a  lower  degree  of  latitude,  and, 
of  course.  Old,  from  its  earlier  settlement.  When 
spoken  of  conjointly,  the  two  countries  have  been, 
and  are  still  frequently,  designated  THE  CALI- 
FORNIAS,  more  especially  by  English  navigators. 

The  principal  object  of  the  present  work  is  to  give 
an  account  of  the  upper  province,  this  being  the 
only  one  which  is  of  much  importance  ;  it  seems, 
however,  necessary  to  take  some  notice  of  the  lower 
also,  not  merely  from  the  intimate  geographical 
and  political  relations  which  exist  between  the  two 
countries,  but  because  the  history  of  both  is  closely 
connected,  and  that  of  the  one  throws  light  on  the 
settlement  and  actual  condition  of  the  other.  On 
account  of  its  earlier  settlement,  I  shall  commence 
with  the  lower  province,  and  shall  endeavor  to 
compress  into  as  small  a  space  as  possible  what 
seems   necessary  to   be  said   respecting   it. 

B2 


PART    I 
LOWER    CALIFORNIA 


^f^^ 


K^  '^  - 


Z)ra.u;n  A>Capt.Wm.Sm\th.R  N 


Ws; 


1    C   RUhbELL  Publisher,  San  Franciiec 

Portrait  of  a  Native  Indian 


CHAPTER    I 

HISTORY     OF    LOWER     CALIFORNIA     FROM     ITS    DISCOVERY 

TO     ITS     FIRST     SETTLEMENT     BY     THE     JESUITS.— NATIVE 

INHABITANTS.  —  NATURE    OF    THE    COUNTRY 

Old  or  Lower  California  was  discovered  in  the 
year  1534,  by  a  squadron  fitted  out  for  purposes  of 
discovery,  by  the  great  Cortes,  and  commanded  by 
Grijalva.  This  expedition  sailed  from  the  coast  of 
Guatemala,  and  soon  reached  the  shores  of  Califor- 
nia. The  adventurers  put  into  a  harbor  in  the 
gulf,  in  what  they  supposed  to  be  an  island,  and 
which  they  named  Santa  Cruz.  This  supposed 
island,  however,  is  part  of  the  peninsula  of  California, 
and  the  harbor  is  that  now  known  by  the  name  of 
La  Paz ;  but  there  is  an  island  lying  off  this  harbor 
which  is  still  called  Santa  Cruz.  The  companion  of 
Grijalva,  on  this  occasion,  was  Mendoza,  who  com- 
manded the  other  ship  ;  and  Ximenez  was  pilot. 
Both  of  these  perished  during  the  expedition  : 
the  former  in  a  mutiny  of  his  men,  headed,  it  is 
said,  by  Ximenez  ;  and  Ximenez  himself  by  the 
natives,  in  the  Bay  of  La  Paz,  together  with 
twenty  other  Spaniards.  The  issue  of  this  voyage 
was     altogether     so     unsatisfactory     that     Cortes     re- 


8  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

solved  to  pursue  the  discovery  himself  ;  and,  in 
the  following  year,  fitted  out  three  ships  at  the  same 
part  of  Guatemala,  called  Tehuantepec,  which  he 
himself  joined  when  they  reached  the  port  of  Chia- 
metla,  having  marched  overland  from  Mexico  with 
a  large  retinue  of  soldiers,  negro  slaves,  settlers,  and 
priests.  He  soon  reached  Santa  Cruz  (La  Paz),  and 
sent  back  some  of  the  ships  for  the  people  and  the 
provisions  which  he  had  left  behind.  The  country 
was  found  so  barren  as  to  afford  no  sustenance 
to  his  armament;  and  the  imperfect  navigation  of 
that  day  rendered  the  transport  difficult  and  dan- 
gerous, even  from  so  short  a  distance  as  the  opposite 
coast.  Only  one  vessel  is  said  to  have  returned,  and 
with  a  very  imperfect  supply  of  stores.  But,  in  the 
mean  time,  Cortes  explored  the  gulf  to  the  north- 
ward, visiting  both  shores :  and  it  is  believed  that 
he  ascertained  that  California  was  neither  an  island 
nor  an  archipelago,  as  had  been  supposed.  For 
some  time  after  this  the  Gulf  of  California  was 
named  the  Sea  of  Cortes:  it  was  also  called  the 
Red  Sea  (El  Mar  Rojo),  either  from  resembling  the 
Red  Sea  of  the  Old  World  in  its  shape,  or  from 
the  discoloration  of  its  waters,  in  its  northern  part,  by 
the  Rio  Colorado,  or  Red  River.  After  many  labors 
and  dangers,  Cortes  returned  to  the  port  of  Acapulco, 
recalled  by  the  machinations  of  his  rivals  and  ene- 
mies in  Mexico;   but  he  continued  to  prosecute  the 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  9 

discovery  of  the  new  countries,  by  means  of  ships, 
at  his  own  cost,  and  commanded  by  his  own  officers. 
The  principal  of  these  was  Francisco  de  Ulloa.  This 
officer,  in  1537,  sailed  with  three  ships,  and  contin- 
ued, nearly  for  the  space  of  two  years,  exploring  the 
different  shores  of  the  gulf  up  to  almost  its  northern 
point.  The  expedition  of  Ulloa  confirmed  the  pre- 
vious report  of  the  extreme  barrenness  of  California, 
and  the  rudeness  and  poverty  of  the  natives,  who 
were  found  quite  naked.  He  saw  the  indigenous 
goat  (argali),  and  observed  some  vessels  of  clay  in 
the  possession  of  the  Indians, — a  circumstance  which 
escaped  the  notice  of  several  future  travelers. 

Many  subsequent  attempts  to  explore  and  settle 
California  were  made  by  the  viceroys  of  New  Spain, 
and  also  by  private  adventurers,  but  with  little  or  no 
results  of  consequence  for  nearly  a  century.  In 
1562-3,  Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo  explored  the  western 
coast  of  the  peninsula,  reaching  as  high  as  lat.  62°. 
In  1596,  in  the  viceroyalty  of  Don  Caspar  de 
Ziiiliga,  count  of  Monterey,  Don  Sebastian  Viz- 
caino commanded  an  expedition  to  the  gulf,  and 
made  some  effort  to  settle  the  country  permanently 
by  establishing  a  garrison  at  the  old  station  of  Santa 
Cruz,  which  he  named  La  Paz,  from  the  peaceable 
deportment  of  the  inhabitants.  General  Vizcaino 
surveyed  the  coast  a  hundred  leagues  to  the  north 
of    this,    and    found   the   inhabitants    less    peaceable, 


10  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

having  had  some  of  his  people  killed  by  them. 
Owing  to  the  want  of  provisions  and  the  extreme 
barrenness  of  the  coast,  the  attempt  was  abandoned, 
and  Vizcaino  returned  to  New  Spain  at  the  end  of 
the  same  year.  A  still  more  extensive  expedition 
sailed,  under  the  same  commander,  in  1602,  to 
explore  the  west  coast  of  the  peninsula,  and  proved 
very  successful,  as  far  as  related  to  the  examination 
of  the  coast.  Vizcaino,  in  this  voyage,  not  only  ex- 
amined the  port  of  Magdalena  and  other  places  on  the 
west  coast  of  the  peninsula,  but,  sailing  northwards 
beyond  the  limits  of  this,  discovered,  in  Upper  Cali- 
fornia, the  harbor  of  San  Diego,  and  Monterey 
(so  called  after  the  Viceroy)  and  San  Francisco, 
which  last,  as  we  have  seen,  is  still  the  northern 
limit  of  the  Spanish  settlements.  The  coast  was 
explored,  but  imperfectly,  as  far  north  as  the  lati- 
tude of  43°. 

This  part  of  the  coast  was  visited  about  twenty-four 
years  previously  by  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who  remained 
some  time  in  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco,*  and 
explored  the  interior  to  some  distance.  He  named 
the  country  New  Albion,  and  took  possession  of  it 
for  England,  not  being  aware  that  it  had  been  pre- 
viously visited  by  the  Spaniards  under  Cabrillo. 
Both  Vizcaino  and  Drake  recognized  the  fertility  of 
this  country,  and  noticed  some  of  the  principal  pro- 
ductions both  of  the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdom. 


LOWER     CALIFORNIA  11 

The  Indians  were  found  to  be  mild  and  friendly, 
resembling  those  in  the  lower  province.  Sir  Francis 
Drake  mistook  the  common  head-dress  of  some  of 
them,  which  is  worn  around  the  head,  somewhat  in 
the  manner  of  a  crown,  as  the  emblem  of  royalty, 
and  considered  the  gift  made  of  this  to  him,  by  one 
of  the  chiefs,  as  the  abdication  of  the  sovereignty 
of  the  country  in  favor  of  Queen  Elizabeth  ! 

There  still  prevailing  among  the  inhabitants  of  New 
Spain  a  strong  belief  of  the  great  riches  of  Califor- 
nia, both  in  gold  and  pearls,  but  particularly  the 
latter,  successive  expeditions  visited  the  coasts  of 
the  gulf,  after  brief  intervals,  through  the  whole 
of  this  century.  Many  also  were  set  on  foot,  not  so 
much  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  wealth  as  with 
the  view  of  converting  the  Indians ;  the  most 
anxious  desire  for  effecting  this  being  prevalent 
not  only  among  the  religious  orders  of  Mexico,  but 
at  the  court  of  the  successive  monarchs  in  Old 
Spain.  In  1615,  Captain  Juan  Iturbi  made  a  voy- 
age to  the  gulf  at  his  own  expense,  and,  on  his 
return  to  Mexico,  inflamed  the  existing  desire  for 
the  conquest  of  California,  by  the  display  of  a  great 
quantity  of  valuable  pearls  which  he  brought  with 
him.  Father  Venegas  states,  that  for  one  of  these 
pearls  Iturbi  paid  900  crowns  as  the  King's  fifth 
alone,  making  its  value  at  least  j^  1,000.  In  the 
course    of    three    successive    years,    viz.    1632,    1633, 


12  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

and  1634,  Captain  Francisco  de  Ortega  made  three 
voyages  to  the  same  ports,  and,  two  years  later, 
Carboneli,  his  pilot,  followed  his  example.  In  1648, 
Admiral  Casanate  again  made  an  attempt  at  settle- 
ment, under  the  authority  and  at  the  expense  of 
government,  taking  with  him  priests  for  the  con- 
version of  the  Indians  ;  but,  like  all  his  predecessors, 
he  was  repulsed,  not  by  the  natives,  but  by  the  in- 
superable barrenness  of  the  country.  The  early 
histories  of  California  narrate  many  other  attempts 
equally  unsuccessful  ;  as,  that  of  Pinadero  in  1664, 
of  Lucenilla  in  1668,  and  of  Admiral  Atondo  in 
1683.  The  expedition  of  this  officer  was  more 
considerable  than  most  that  had  preceded  it,  and 
was  distinguished  by  the  company  of  the  Jesuit 
missionary  Father  Kuhn,  formerly  a  professor  in 
a  German  university,  and  afterwards  famous  for 
his  exploits  in  the  conversion  of  the  Indians,  under 
the  Spanish  name  of  Kino.  Atondo  stayed  some 
considerable  time  in  the  country,  and  traversed  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  interior,  the  zealous  fa- 
thers exerting  all  their  powers  in  converting  and 
baptizing  the  natives,  but  with  such  indifferent  suc- 
cess that  he  also  finally  abandoned  it,  with  the  whole 
of  his  establishment,  within  a  period  of  three  years. 
This  expedition,  fruitless  as  it  was,  cost  the  Mexi- 
can government  no  less  a  sum  than  225,400  dol- 
lars.*    The  last  of   these   attempts,   made   under  the 

*  Venegas,  vol.   I,  p.    224. 


LOWER     CALIFORNIA  13 

direction  of  the  military  and  civil  powers  was  that 
of  Itamarra,  who  made  a  fresh  descent,  at  his  own 
expense,  in  the  year  1694,  and  with  the  same  fruit- 
less results  as  all  his  predecessors. 

Some  years  before  this,  on  the  return  of  Admiral 
Atondo,  the  Viceroy  and  Council  of  Mexico  had 
come  to  the  resolution  that  the  settlement  of  this 
country  was  impracticable  by  the  means  hitherto 
adopted,  and  that  it  should  be  no  more  attempted  at 
the  public  expense :  it  was,  however,  decided,  at  the 
same  time,  that  the  reduction  of  the  peninsula  should 
be  recommended  to  the  Society  of  Jesuits,  and  that 
a  fixed  sum  should  be  paid  to  them,  for  this  purpose, 
but  of  the  King's  treasury.  This  recommendation 
was  most  cordially  received  by  this  zealous  society, 
and  Father  Kino  and  the  other  missionaries,  who 
had  accompanied  Atondo,  kindled  yet  higher  among 
their  brethren  their  desire  for  the  spiritual  conquest 
of  California,  which  was  destined,  in  fact,  to  take 
place  under  their  indefatigable  zeal  and  courage. 
In  contemplating  what  was  thus  effected,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  the  historian  of  California,  himself  a 
member  of  this  holy  order,  should  regard  the  cause 
as  hallowed,  and  the  agents  as  under  the  protection 
of  Heaven.  "The  great  conqueror,  Hernando 
Cortes,  (he  says,)  several  times  employed,  in  the 
conquest  of  California,  the  whole  force  he  could 
raise.      His    example    stimulated    many    private    per- 


14  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

sons ;  even  governors,  admirals,  and  viceroys  made 
the  attempt.  At  last  the  kings  of  Spain  themselves 
took  the  scheme  into  their  own  hands ;  yet  the  result 
of  all  such  vast  expenses,  such  powerful  efforts,  was, 
that  the  reduction  of  California  was  given  over 
as  impracticable.  And  so  indeed  it  was,  by  the 
means  made  use  of  by  men,  but  not  by  those  which 
God  had  chosen.  Arms  and  power  were  the  means 
on  which  man  relied  for  the  success  of  this  enter- 
prise, but  it  was  the  will  of  Heaven  that  this  triumph 
should  be  owing  to  the  meekness  and  courtesy  of 
His  ministers,  to  the  humiliation  of  the  Cross,  and  the  ' 
power  of  His  Word.  God  seemed  only  to  wait  till  • 
human  nature  acknowledged  its  weakness,  to  dis- 
play the  strength  of  His  almighty  arm,  confound- 
ing the  pride  of  the  world  by  means  of  the  weakest 
instruments."  * 

In  the  intended  reduction  of  California  under  the 
new  system,  Father  Kino  was  the  presiding  genius, 
as  he  had  been  the  originator,  of  the  plan.  This 
excellent  and  extraordinary  man  had  been  professor 
of  mathematics  at  Ingoldstadt,  where  he  was  in  high 
favor  with  the  electoral  house  of  Bavaria.  In 
consequence  of  a  vow  made  to  Saint  Francis  Xavier 
at  a  time  when  he  was  not  expected  to  live,  he  left 

*  Noticia  de  la  California  y  de  su  conquista  temporal  y  espiritual 
hasta  el  tiempo  presente.  Por  el  Padre  Miguel  Venegas.  Madrid, 
1757. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  15 

his  professorship  and  came  to  America,  full  of  zeal 
for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen.  "  Proposing  to 
himself  (says  Father  Venegas)  this  holy  apostle  as 
his  model,  he  imitated  his  virtues,  and  all  the  other 
qualities  of  his  seraphic  mind."  The  new  mission- 
ary was  certainly  a  man  of  extraordinary  talents  as 
well  as  virtues,  and  his  whole  life  proved  how  well 
he  fulfilled  the  vow  which  had  transported  him  from 
the  lecture-room  of  Ingoldstadt  to  the  savage  wilds 
of  America.  But  in  the  conquest  of  California  he 
fortunately  met  with  associates  no  less  able  and 
willing  than  himself,  among  the  learned  men  of  his 
own  order,  and  particularly  in  the  fathers  Salva- 
tierra,  Ugarte,  and  Piccolo,  afterwards  so  distin- 
guished for  their  labors  and  success  in  this  under- 
taking. To  Salvatierra  the  direction  of  the  first 
attempt  was  confided,  Kino  remaining  on  the  oppo- 
site coast  of  Sinaloa,  and  Ugarte  in  Mexico,  all 
equally  active,  in  their  respective  stations,  in  pro- 
moting the  great  design.  The  spirit  being  once 
kindled,  the  rich  among  the  laity  as  well  as  the  re- 
ligious orders  in  New  Spain  contributed  largely  to 
the  outfit  of  the  expedition,  and  settled  sums  for 
the  endowment  of  the  new  missions  expected  to  be 
established.  The  government  took  no  part  in  the 
enterprise,  further  than  granting  the  fathers  per- 
mission to  enter  the  country,  to  enlist  soldiers  on 
their   own   account,  and  to  have  sole  authority  over 


16  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

all  concerned  in  the  expedition  and  in  the  intended 
missions,  requiring  only,  in  return,  that  the  country 
should  be  taken  possession  of  in  the  name  .of  the 
king  of  Spain,  and  that  the  expedition  should  be 
in  no  way  burdensome  to  the  government. 

On  the  10th  October,  1697,  Father  Salvatierra 
sailed  from  the  port  of  Yaqui,  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  gulf,  with  his  small  band  of  five  soldiers  only, 
and  their  commander,  and  on  the  third  day  reached 
California.  For  some  days  they  were  employed  in 
looking  out  for  a  convenient  station,  and  at  length 
fixed  on  the  bay  of  San  Dionisio,  ten  leagues  north 
of  San  Bruno,  where  Admiral  Atondo  had  pitched 
his  camp.  There,  on  the  19th  October,  they  landed, 
and  finding  a  convenient  spot  near  a  spring  of  water 
about  a  league  and  a  half  from  the  shore,  they  pitched 
their  tents,  and  transported  from  the  ships  their 
stores  of  cattle  and  provisions,  the  good  father  be- 
ing the  most  active  laborer  of  the  party.  **  Here 
(says  Father  Venegas)  the  barracks  of  the  little  gar- 
rison was  built  and  a  line  of  circumvallation  thrown 
up.  In  the  center  a  tent  was  pitched  for  a  tempo- 
rary chapel ;  before  it  was  erected  a  crucifix  with  a 
garland  of  flowers,  and,  everything  being  disposed 
in  the  best  manner  possible,  the  image  of  Our  Lady 
of  Loreto,  the  patroness  of  the  conquest,  was 
brought  in  procession  from  the  ship  and  placed 
with   proper   solemnity.      On   the   25th,  formal    pos- 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  17 

session  vv^as  taken  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  the 
,  King  of  Spain  and  the  Indies. 

Before  proceeding  further  with  the  history  of 
these  true  soldiers  of  the  Cross,  and  the  minute  but 
not  uninteresting  warfare  which  they  maintained 
for  so  many  years  against  the  rude  natives  of  Cali- 
fornia and  its  still  ruder  soil,  until  at  length  they 
triumphed  effectually  over  the  former  and  as  much 
over  the  latter  as  was  possible,  it  may  be  well  to 
notice  briefly  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  obstacles 
they  had  to  contend  against. 

In  all  the  numerous  attempts  that  had  been  made 
to  make  a  settlement  in  this  peninsula,  it  was  inva- 
riably to  the  rugged  and  unproductive  nature  of  the 
•  country,  not  to  the  opposition  of  the  natives,  that  the 
failures  were  attributable.  Like  all  the  aboriginal 
tribes  encountered  by  the  Spaniards  in  America, 
the  Californians  were  a  feeble  and  weak-hearted 
people ;  and  although  when  irritated  or  oppressed 
•  they  not  seldom  turned  on  their  tyrants,  and,  when 
revenge  could  be  safely  indulged,  did  not  hesitate 
to  cut  off  openly  or  by  stratagem  such  as  fell  into 
their  power,  still  they  never  offered  any  effectual 
resistance  to  the  invaders,  hundreds,  or  even  thou- 
sands, of  them  being  often  kept  in  awe  by  a  mere 
handful  of  armed  Europeans.  These  poor  people 
had  good  reason  both  to  fear  and  hate  the  Spaniards, 
as   they   were   often    greatly  maltreated   by  the   mili- 


18  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

tary  and  commercial  adventurers  who  visited  their 
country  before  the  Jesuits,  and  more  especially  by 
the  traffickers  for  pearls,  by  whom  the  Indians  were 
frequently  kidnaped,  and  forcibly  compelled  to  act 
as  divers.  Yet  it  was  remarkable  that,  from  the 
beginning,  they  showed  little  unwillingness  to  be 
present  at  or  even  to  share  in  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Catholic  religion,  (which  were  seldom  lost  sight  of  by 
the  adventurers  of  those  days,  however  stained  with 
crimes, )  or  to  benefit  from  the  supplies  of  food  which 
they  derived  from  their  visitors.  At  the  period 
of  the  landing  of  the  Jesuits,  the  natives  seem  to 
have  been  in  precisely  the  same  condition,  as  to 
civilization,  as  when  first  visited  by  ,  Grijalva  one 
hundred  and  sixty  years  before.  They  were  little 
advanced  from  the  rudest  state  of  barbarism.  Prop- 
erly speaking,  they  had  neither  houses  nor  clothes, 
although  they  made  use  of  temporary  huts  formed 
of  boughs  of  trees  and  covered  with  reeds,  and  the 
women  wore  girdles  or  imperfect  petticoats  formed 
also  of  reeds  ;  the  men  were  entirely  naked,  except 
that  they  wore  ornaments  for  the  head,  composed  of 
feathers,  shells,  or  seeds.  They  lived  by  hunting 
and  fishing,  and  on  the  spontaneous  produce  of  the 
soil.  They  cultivated  no  species  of  grain  or  esculent 
vegetable,  and  they  seemed  to  possess  no  other  arts 
than  what  were  necessary  for  the  manufacture  of 
nets,  and  bows  and  arrows,  for  catching  prey  by  sea 


LOWER     CALIFORNIA  19 

and  land,  and  for  the  construction  of  their  imper- 
fect clothing  and  ornaments.  Some  of  the  tribes 
had  a  few  vessels  of  clay,  but  their  chief  articles  for 
containing  both  soHds  and  Hquids  were  constructed 
of  reeds.  Even  their  means  of  transport  on  the 
water  were  rude  rafts  formed  of  bulrushes,  no  boats 
or  canoes  of  wood  or  hides  being  found  among  them. 
They  seem  scarcely  to  have  had  any  fixed  forms 
of  government  or  religion,  although  the  different 
villages  and  tribes  submitted,  on  important  occa- 
sions, to  the  direction  and  rule  of  some  one  or  more 
who  were  distinguished  by  their  age,  strength,  or 
other  natural  gifts,  and  there  were  also  a  class  of 
persons  among  them,  who  were  the  ministers  of 
some  superstitious  observances,  and  the  pretenders 
to  .  preternatural  powers  in  the  prediction  or  pro- 
duction of  future  events,  and  in  the  infliction  or  cure 
of  diseases.  These  people  were  termed  sorcerers 
(hechiceros)  by  the  missionaries,  although  Fa- 
ther Venegas  has  the  boldness  to  assert  that 
**it  cannot  be  thought  that  these  poor  creatures 
had  any  commerce  or  entered  into  a  compact 
with  apostate  spirits,  or  that  they  received  any  in- 
structions from  them."  It  is,  however,  very  true 
that,  whether  deluded  or  deluding,  these  sorcerers  or 
priests  exerted  a  powerful  influence  over  the  minds 
of  their  countrymen.  This  influence  was  greatly 
heightened    by   their   being   the   exclusive    professors 

C  2 


20  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

and  practicers  of  the  important  art  of  healing. 
"What  greatly  strengthened  their  authority  (says 
Venegas)  was  their  being  the  only  physicians  from 
whom  they  could  hope  to  be  relieved  in  their  pains 
and  distempers  ;  and  whatever  was  the  medicine,  it 
was  always  administered  with  great  ostentation  and 
solemnity.  One  remedy  (he  continues)  was  very 
remarkable,  and  the  good  effect  sometimes  produced 
by  it  greatly  heightened  the  reputation  of  the 
operator.  They  applied  to  the  suffering  part  of  the 
patient's  body  the  chacuaco,  which  is  a  tube  formed 
out  of  a  very  hard  black  stone,  and  through  this 
they  sometimes  sucked  and  at  other  times  blew,  but 
both  as  hard  as  they  were  able,  supposing  that  thus 
the  disease  was  either  exhaled  or  dispersed.  Some- 
times the  tube  was  filled  with  cimarron  or  .wild 
tobacco,  lighted,  and  the  smoke  was  either  blown- 
out  or  sucked  in,  according  to  the  doctor's  direction. 
This  powerful  caustic  (adds  the  historian)  sometimes, 
without  any  other  remedy,  has  been  known  entirely 
to  remove  the  disorder."  Of  this  fact  such  of  our 
modern  surgeons  as  are  in  the  habit  of  prescribing 
local  irritation  or  scarification  by  inflammable  sub- 
stances, termed  moxas,  will  entertain  no  doubt. 

At  the  time  California  was  visited  by  the  Jesuits, 
the  whole  of  the  country  explored  by  them,  from 
Cape  San  Lucas  as  far  north  as  the  2Hth  degree 
of  north  latitude,  was  thinly  and   irregularly  peopled 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  21 

by  numerous  tribes,  more  or  less  stationary  in  their 
rude  villages  or  encampments,  differing  very  little  in 
their  general  habits  and  condition,  yet  sufficiently 
marked  to  be  distinguished  by  fixed  names,  and 
speaking  different  languages,  or  different  dialects  of 
the  same.  The  best  informed  among  the  fathers, 
particularly  Father  Taraval,  of  whom  we  shall 
hereafter  have  occasion  to  speak,  believed  that,  al- 
though there  were  many  varieties  of  dialect,  there 
w€re  only  three  languages,  decidedly  differing  from 
one  another,  so  as  to  constitute  natural  distinctions. 
These,  in  their  respective  spheres,  extended,  as  might 
be  supposed,  from  sea  to  sea,  dividing  the  peninsula 
lengthwise  into  three  nations :  the  Pericii  occu- 
pying the  southern  division,  as  far  north  as  the  Bay 
of  La  Paz,  about  the  25th  degree  of  latitude  ;  the 
Monqui,  the  middle  space,  extending  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Loreto,  in  about  the  26th  degree  ;  and  the 
Cochimi,  to  the  northward  of  this,  as  far  as  the 
country  was  explored.  As  would  naturally  happen 
in  such  a  rude  state  of  society,  the  limits  of  these 
countries  were  not  at  all  definite,  and  even  the  dif- 
ferent people  had  quite  different  names  given  them 
by  their  own  or  other  tribes.  In  particular,  it  would 
seem  that  the  people  of  the  south  were  as  com- 
monly termed  Edii  as  Pericii,  or  those  of  the 
north  as  often  Laymon  as  Cochimi.  Each  of 
these   great   divisions   contained   clans   or  tribes   who 


22  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

professed  to  be  distinct  from  their  neighbors,  call- 
ing  themselves  by  different  names,  using  a  some- 
what different  speech,  and  demonstrating  their  na- 
tionality by  incessant  feuds  and  petty  wars  with 
their  neighbors ;  but  it  would  be  worse  than  use- 
less to  follow  our  authorities  in  taking  any  notice  of 
these,  as  this  could  only  tend  to  confuse  the  reader. 
The  country  inhabited  by  these  people  was,  and  is, 
one  of  the  most  barren  and  unattractive  to  be  found 
in  the  temperate  or  hotter  regions  of  the  earth. 
The  peninsula  of  California  is  seven  or  eight  hun- 
dred miles  in  length,  and  varies  in  breadth  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  miles,  the  medium  breadth 
being  from  fifty  to  sixty.  It  consists  of  an  irregular 
chain,  or  broken  groups,  of  bare  rocks  and  hills,  in- 
terspersed with  tracts  of  a  sandy  soil  nearly  as  un- 
productive. The  greatest  height  of  this  mountain 
ridge  is  rather  less  than  5,000  feet.  In  some  shel- 
tered spots,  where  the  soil  has  been  left  safe  from 
the  torrents,  there  is  a  fertile  mold  ;  but  such  spots 
are  very  rare  and  of  small  extent.  Water  is,  also 
very  scarce.  There  are  only  two  or  three  small 
streams  in  the  whole  country,  and  springs  of  good 
water  are  extremely  infrequent.  It  would  seem  as 
if  the  action  of  the  heavy  rains  from  the  central 
ridge  of  rocky  hills,  and  the  encroachments  of  the 
ocean  on  both  its  shores,  had  gradually  washed  away 
the  mold  and  soil  from  its  surface,  except  where  it 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  23 

was  of  such  a  ponderous  quality  as  sand,  or  where 
it  was  penned  up  by  a  barrier  of  rocks  on  all  sides. 
In  some  places  of  this  last  kind,  the  soil  was  found 
remarkably  fertile,  and  when  they  chanced  to  be  in 
the  vicinity  of  water,  which  was  but  seldom  the 
case,  the  produce  extracted  from  them  by  the  indus- 
try of  the  new-comers  was  sometimes  marvelously 
great.  Such  oases  were  of  no  especial  use  to  the 
natives,  except  in  as  far  as  they  furnished  the  chief 
localities  for  the  growth  of  the  trees  and  plants  which 
supplied  them  with  nuts  and  berries.  The  extreme 
barrenness  of  the  soil  prevented  the  growth  of  trees 
of  any  magnitude,  except  in  a  very  few  spots  of 
insignificant  extent,  insomuch  that  the  missionaries 
were  obliged,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter,  to  send  to 
the  opposite  coast  of  Sinaloa  for  the  materials  for 
constructing  houses. 

In  this  region,  however,  the  fertility  of  the  sea 
seemed  to  make  amends  for  the  barrenness  of  the 
land.  The  shores  of  California  abound  in  the  great- 
est variety  of  excellent  fish,  although  from  ignorance 
or  stupidity  the  natives  derived  much  less  benefit 
from  this  exhaustless  storehouse  than  it  was  capa- 
ble of  affording.  In  one  respect,  indeed,  this  store- 
house was  too  productive  for  their  happiness,  since 
it  was  the  fame  of  its  pearls  which,  ever  since  its 
first  discovery,  had  attracted  so  many  adventurers  to 
its   shores,   bent   on    enriching   themselves,   and   alto- 


24  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

gether  regardless  of  the  welfare  or  even  lives  of  the 
natives.  "  Great  numbers  ( says  Father  Venegas ) 
resort  to  this  fishery  from  the  continent  of  New 
Spain,  Nueva  Galicia,  Culiacan,  Sinaloa,  and  Sonora, 
and  the  many  violences  committed  by  the  adven- 
turers to  satiate,  if  possible,  their  covetous  temper 
have  occasioned  reciprocal  complaints  ;  nor  will  they 
ever  cease  (adds  the  good  father)  while  the  desire 
of  riches,  that  bane  of  society,  predominates  in  the 
human  breast."  *  And  nothing  can  show  more 
strongly  the  pure  and  disinterested  motives  of  the 
Jesuits  than  the  law  which  they  obtained,  after 
much  trouble,  from  the  Mexican  government ;  viz. , 
that  all  the  inhabitants  of  California,  including  the 
soldiers,  sailors,  and  others  under  their  command, 
should  be  prohibited  not  only  from  diving  for  pearls, 
but  from  trafficking  in  them.  This  law  was  the 
cause  of  great  and  frequent  discontent  among  the 
military  servants  of  the  fathers,  and  even  threat- 
ened the  loss  of  their  conquest,  but  it  was  never- 
theless rigidly  enforced  by  them  during  the  whole 
period  of  their  rule.  Fishing  for  pearls  was  not, 
indeed,  prohibited  in  the  gulf  and  along  the  shores 
of  California,  but  it  was  carried  on  by  divers  brought 
from  the  opposite  shores  by  the  adventurers  en- 
gaged  in   it. 

Before   returning   to   the   history   of   Father   Salva- 

*  Venegas,  vol.   I,  p.   50. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  25 

tierra  and  his  little  band,  I  must  be  permitted  to 
make  one  remark.  If  the  reader  should  be  dis- 
posed to  smile  at  the  minuteness  with  which,  now 
or  hereafter,  we  may  dwell  on  the  humble  proceed- 
ings of  the  fathers,  and  their  children  the  Indians, 
or  may  detail  the  puny  wars  of  their  Lilliputian 
armies,  we  can  only  offer  the  excuse  preferred  by 
the  good  Father  Venegas  in  similar  circumstances. 
"These  particulars  (he  says)  may  possibly  appear 
trifles  not  worth  mentioning ;  but  let  me  entreat  the 
reader  to  try  their  value  in  the  balance  of  reason. 
Let  him  reflect  what  an  agreeable  sight  it  must  be, 
even  in  the  eyes  of  the  Divine  Being  himself,  to  see 
men  who  might  have  acquired  a  large  fortune  by 
secular  employments,  or  lived  in  quiet  and  esteem 
within  the  order  they  had  chosen,  voluntarily  banish 
themselves  from  their  country  and  relations  to  visit 
America,  and,  when  there,  resign  employments  and 
leave  a  tranquil  life  for  disappointments  and  fatigues, 
to  live  among  savages,  amidst  distress  and  continual 
danger  of  death,  without  any  other  motive  than  the 
conversion  of  the  Indians.  At  least,  let  every  one 
ask  himself,  whether  any  worldly  interest  whatever 
could  induce  him  to  employ  himself  in  such  low  and 
obscure  actions,  and  amid  such  privations  and  dan- 
gers, and  he  will  be  convinced  of  the  importance 
and  dignity  which  actions,  contemptible  in  the  eyes 
of   men,   receive   from  the  sublimity  of   the    motives 


26  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

which  inspire  them."*  It  is,  indeed,  impossible  to 
read  the  accounts  of  the  settlement  of  the  two  Cali- 
fornias  by  the  Spanish  missionaries  without  feeling 
the  greatest  admiration  and  reverence  for  the  bold 
and  pious  men  who  undertook  and  accomplished  the 
most  arduous  task  of  civilizing  and  Christianizing 
these  savage  countries.  It  may  be  true  that  the 
means  they  adopted  to  effect  their  ends  were  not 
always  the  wisest,  that  the  Christianity  they  planted 
was  often  more  of  form  than  substance,  and  the 
civilization,  in  some  respects,  an  equivocal  good : 
still  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  motives  of  these 
excellent  men  were  most  pure,  their  benevolence 
unquestionable,  their  industry,  zeal,  and  courage 
indefatigable  and  invincible.  Not  only  did  they 
suffer  every  hardship  without  repining,  but  they 
shrank  not  from  death  itself,  which  more  than  once 
thinned  their  ranks  ;  and  it  is  the  crowning  glory 
of  their  benevolent  justice  that  they  were  as  zealous 
in  protecting  the  poor  Indians  from  the  oppression 
and  cruelties  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  as  they  were 
in  endeavoring  to  subject  them  to  their  own  spir- 
itual   domination  : 

And   Charity   on   works   of  love   would   dwell 
In   California's  dolorous  regions  drear. f 

*Venegas,  vol.   I,  p.   230.  t  Southey. 


CHAFFER    II 

PROGRESS    OF    THE    JESUITS    TO    THE    DEATH    OF    FATHER 
KINO.  —  MODE    OF    CONVERTING    THE    INDIANS 

No  SOONER  was  the  little  settlement,  described  in 
the  last  chapter,  made,  than  Father  Salvatierra  set 
about  his  office  of  converting  the  Indians.  He  be- 
gan by  endeavoring  to  learn  their  language,  and 
sought  to  gain  their  good-will  by  all  sorts  of  kind- 
ness and  unsuspicious  familiarity,  rewarding  all 
such  "as  would  consent  to  be  catechized  and  to  re- 
peat prayers,  with  daily  largesses  of  boiled  maize, 
or  pozole,  of  which  the  Indians  were  very  fond. 
Indeed,  the  pozole  was  more  attractive  than  the 
Latin  prayers,  and  they  soon  began  to  seek  for  the 
one  without  the  other,  and  this  being  refused, 
they  set  about  considering  whether  they  might  not 
obtain  their  ends  by  force.  Accordingly,  after  some 
smaller  attempts,  such  as  stealing  the  good  father's 
horse  and  his  goats,  both  for  food,  they  made  a 
regular  attack  on  the  camp  on  the  13th  November. 
On  this  occasion  it  was  thought  that  no  less  than 
500  of  the  Indians  assaulted  their  little  intrench- 
m6nts,  which  were  defended  only  by  ten  men ;   and 

27 


28  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

although  Father  Salvatierra  would  not  allow  the 
soldiers  to  fire  on  the  enemy  until  things  came  to 
extremities,  and  although  the  great  hope  of  safety 
of  the  besieged — the  paderero — burst  in  pieces  on  the 
first  discharge,  still  a  few  wounds  and  deaths  among 
the  Indians  inspired  such  terror  among  them  that 
they  soon  retreated,  and  speedily  sent  messengers 
to  sue  for  peace.  This  victory  naturally  raised  to  a 
high  pitch  the  courage  and  enthusiasm  of  the  Span- 
iards. '*At  night,"  says  Father  Venegas,  "solemn 
thanks  were  returned  to  God,  his  most  holy  Mother, 
and  St.  Stanislaus  (whose  festival  it  was),  for  his  mani-, 
fold  favors.  They  adored  the  Holy  Cross  as  the 
standard  of  faith,  they  sang  Ave  to  Our  Lady  as 
their  captain,  and  unanimously  determined  to  re- 
main in  that  country."  Nor  did  they  fail  to  see  in 
all  this  affair  manifest  signs  of  divine  protection. 
To  say  nothing  of  the  defeat  of  500  men  by  ten, 
"it  was  observed  (continues  our  authority)  that 
most  of  the  arrows  stuck  in  the  pedestal  of  the 
cross,  whilst  both  it,  and  the  tent  which  served  for 
the  chapel,  were  untouched." 

Shortly  afterwards.  Father  Francisco  Maria  Pic- 
colo arrived  from  the  opposite  coast  with  fresh 
supplies,  and  the  resolution  to  continue  with  his 
brethren  in  California.  He  was  a  worthy  fellow- 
laborer  of  Salvatierra,  who  was  greatly  comforted 
by   his   arrival.     The   small    garrison   now   set   about 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  29 

erecting  some  works  of  defense  and  buildings  of  a 
more  permanent  character;  viz.,  "a  chapel  for  placing 
Our  Lady  in,"  and  houses  for  the  fathers  and  cap- 
tain, —  the  walls  of  stone  and  clay,  and  the  roofs  of 
thatch.  The  fathers  returned  to  their  daily  labors 
of  catechizing  and  maize-distributing,  and  all  went 
on  favorably  for  a  few  months  ;  but  the  Indians  at 
length  perceiving  that  the  object  of  the  Spaniards 
was  neither  to  fish  for  pearls  nor  to  obtain  them  in 
barter,  but  to  introduce  a  new  religion,  they  were 
once  more  excited  —  on  this  occasion  by  their 
priests,  whose  power  and  revenues  were  manifestly 
in  jeopardy  —  to  try  to  drive  their  new  teachers 
from  the  country.  They  were,  however,  immedi- 
ately dispersed  by  the  muskets  of  the  soldiers,  and 
peace  being  restored,  the  fathers  once  more  pro- 
ceeded with  their  zealous  labo;;s.  The  first  step 
was  to  learn  the  language  of  the  natives,  (a  step, 
by  the  by,  which  seems  disregarded  by  the  present 
race  of  Californian  missionaries,)  for  the  greater 
conveniency  of  doing  which,  as  well  as  a  means  of 
security,  "Father  Piccolo  (we  are  told)  took  upon 
him  to  instruct  the  boys  and  girls,  whom  he  caused 
to  come  within  the  encampment,  whilst,  without  it,. 
Father  Salvatierra  instructed  the  adults,  and  by  this 
mild  measure  (says  Venegas)  they  had  their  sons  as 
so  many  hostages."  In  the  month  of  June,  a  new 
bark   arrived,    with    fresh    stores   of   all   sorts,    and   a 


30  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

reinforcement  of  seven  soldiers  sent  by  Father 
Ugarte  ;  and  the  fathers,  having  now  pretty  well 
learned  the  language,  and  being,  moreover,  pro- 
vided with  horses,  began  to  carry  their  operations 
into  the  neighboring  country,  both  north  and  south. 
In  examining  the  country,  they  crossed  the  penin- 
sula to  the  shore  of  the  Pacific,  and  established  the 
mission  of  San  Xavier  under  Father  Piccolo,  who 
took  up  his  abode  there  in  October,  1699.  Early  in 
the  following  year,  we  are  told  that  the  number  of 
settlers  already  in  California,  including  the  civilized 
Indians  and  mestizos  from  the  Mexican  coast, 
amounted  to  no  less  than  600  ;  but  this  great  num- 
ber was  the  source  rather  of  weakness  than  strength, 
as  the  country,  as  yet,  afforded  scarcely  any  means 
of  support  to  the  new-comers.  They  were  conse- 
quently in  the  greatest  straits,  but  could  obtain  no 
relief  or  assistance  from  the  government.  In  the 
month  of  August  of  this  year,  it  is  stated  in  an  offi- 
cial document  that  "they  had  reduced  the  Indians, 
for  the  space  of  50  leagues,  to  a  settled  obedience, 
and  founded  four  towns,  with  above  six  hundred 
Christians,  most  of  them  young,  and  no  less  than 
two  thousand  adult  catechumens."  But  these  mag- 
nificent statements  had  a  very  unsubstantial  foun- 
dation, as  we  find  that,  shortly  after,  some  of  the 
new  missions  were  given  up,  the  baptisms  suspended, 
and  the  garrison,  with  the  captain  at  its  head,  muti- 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  31 

nying,   partly  from  want  of  pay  and  provisions,  and 
partly  from    impatience   at   the    restraints    put    upon 

-  them  by  the  fathers  for  oppressing  and  ill-using  the 
Indians.  The  fathers,  however,  adhered  firmly  to 
their    principles,    and    discharged    the   refractory   sol- 

.  diers,  retaining  only  a  few  of  such  as  were  faithful 
to  them.  The  dismissal  of  the  whole  military  force 
was,  however,  contemplated,  should  they  not  speedily 
receive  some  pecuniary  aid  from  Mexico.  The  dis- 
charge of  the  heavy  debts  already  incurred  was 
confided  to  a  bank  which,  we  fear,  is  hardly  solvent 
in  these  degenerate  times.  *' After  the  total  reduc- 
tion of  the  soldiers,"  saj^s  Father  Salvatierra,  in  a 
letter  to  his  friend  the  solicitor  of  Guadalajara, 
*'we  shall  consult  on  liquidating  all  arrears;  and  if, 
for  want  of  a  military  force,  our  Calif ornian  sons 
should  send  us  to  give  an  account  to  God,  there 
will  still  remain  Our  Lady  of  Loreto,  who  unques- 
tionably will  pay  the  whole." 

A  great  relief  was  afforded  to  the  mission  by  a 
supply  of  stores  sent  by  Father  Ugarte  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  and  still  greater  by  the  arrival  of  the 
father  himself  on  the  19th  of  March,  who  had  at 
length  determined  to  unite  his  labors  to  those  of 
his  brethren  in  California.  This  worthy  man  seems 
to  have  had  a  more  enlarged  mind,  as  well  as  a  more 
robust  physical  constitution,  than  his  brethren.  On 
being  appointed  to  the  new  mission  of   San   Xavier 


32  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

de  Viaundd,  planted  a  short  time  previously  by 
Father  Piccolo,  some  distance  from  Loreto,  to  the 
southwest,  in  the  midst  of  the  Vigge  Mountains,  he, 
for  the  first  time,  seems  to  have  adopted  the  only 
principle  on  which  colonies,  of  any  kind,  can  be 
settled,  —  making  them  support  themselves.  Al- 
though, from  the  extreme  barrenness  of  the  country 
and  the  insufficiency  of  the  protection  afforded  by 
the  soldiers,  this  task  had  hitherto  been  deemed 
hopeless,  Ugarte  determined  to  make  the  triat;  and 
as  he  knew  that  it  could  only  succeed  by  a  more 
systematic  attempt  at  civilizing  the  natives,  he  lost 
no  time  in  setting  about  this.  In  one  respect,  his 
position  at  San  Xavier  was  favorable,  as  the  neigh- 
borhood contained  a  much  larger  share  of  soil 
capable  of  cultivation  than  that  of  Loreto  or  other 
parts  yet  examined.  With  these  views.  Father 
Ugarte  began  at  once  to  learn  the  language  and 
study  the  character  of  the  natives,  preparatory  to 
his  greater  schemes  ;  and  to  show  his  confidence 
in  them,  he  speedily  dismissed  the  few  soldiers  he 
had  with  him,  on  account  of  their  ill  conduct,  and 
remained  alone  among  the  Indians.  The  following 
account  of  the  good  father's  diurnal  labors  and 
general  mode  of  proceeding  with  the  Indians,  and 
also  the  speedy  results,  is  taken  from  Venegas,  and 
is  at  once  picturesque  and  affecting. 

"In  the  morning,  after  saying  mass,  and  at  which 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  33 

he  obliged  them  to  attend  with  order  and  respect, 
he  gave  a  breakfast  of  pozole  to  those  who  were  to 
work,  set  them  about  building  the  church  and 
houses  for  himself  and  his  Indians,  clearing  the 
ground  for  cultivation,  making  trenches  for  the 
conveyance  of  water,  holes  for  planting  trees,  or 
digging  and  preparing  the  ground  for  sowing.  In 
the  building  part.  Father  Ugarte  was  master,  over- 
.  seer,  carpenter,  bricklayer,  and  laborer.  For  the 
Indians,  though  animated  by  his  example,  could 
neither  by  gifts  or  kind  speeches  be  prevailed  upon 
to  shake  off  their  innate  sloth,  and  were  sure  to 
slacken  if  they  did  not  see  the  father  work  harder 
than  any  of  them  ;  so  that  he  was  the  first  in  fetch- 
ing stones,  treading  the  clay,  mixing  the  sand, 
cutting,  carrying,  and  barking  the  timber,  removing 
the  earth,  and  fixing  materials.  He  was  equally 
laborious  in  the  other  tasks,  sometimes  felling  trees 
with  his  ax,  sometimes  with  his  spade  in  his  hand 
digging  up  the  earth,  sometimes  with  an  iron  crow 
splitting  rocks,  sometimes  disposing  the  water- 
trenches,  sometimes  leading  the  beasts  and  cattle, 
which  he  had  procured  for  his  mission,  to  pasture 
and  water  ;  thus,  by  his  own  example,  teaching  the 
several  kinds  of  labor.  The  Indians,  whose  narrow 
ideas  and  dullness  could  not  at  first  enter  into  the 
utility  of  these  fatigues,  which,  at  the  same  time, 
deprived  them  of  their  customary  freedom  of  roving 

3  D 


34  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

among  the  forests,  on  a  thousand  occasions  suffi- 
ciently tried  his  patience,  coming  late,  not  caring 
to  stir,  running  away,  jeering  him,  and  sometimes 
even  forming  combinations  and  threatening  death 
and  destruction :  all  this  was  to  be  borne  with 
unwearied  patience,  he  having  no  other  resource 
than  affability  and  kindness,  sometimes  intermixed 
with  gravity  to  strike  respect ;  also  taking  care  not 
to  tire  them,  and  suit  himself  to  their  weakness. 

**In  the  evening,  the  father  led  them  a  second  time 
to  their  devotions,  in  which  the  rosary  was  prayed 
over  and  the  catechism  explained,  and  the  service 
was  followed  by  the  distribution  of  some  provisions. 
At  first,  they  were  very  troublesome  all  the  time  of 
the  sermon,  jesting  and  sneering  at  what  he  said. 
This  the  father  bore  with  for  a  while,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  reprove  them  ;  but,  finding  they  were  not 
to  be  kept  in  order,  he  made  a  very  dangerous  ex- 
periment of  what  could  be  done  by  fear.  Near  him 
stood  an  Indian  in  high  reputation  for  strength, 
and  who,  presuming  on  this  advantage,  —  the  only 
quality  esteemed  among  them,  —  took  upon  himself 
to  be  more  rude  than  the  others.  Father  Ugarte, 
who  was  a  large  man,  and  of  uncommon  strength, 
observing  the  Indian  to  be  in  the  height  of  his 
laughter,  and  making  signs  of  mockery  to  the  others, 
seized  him  by  the  hair,  and,  lifting  him  up,  swung 
him  to  and  fro.     At  this,  the  rest  ran  away  in  the 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  35 

utmost  terror ;  they  soon  returned,  one  after  another, 
and  the  father  so  far  succeeded  to  intimidate  them, 
that  they  behaved  more  regularly  for  the  future. 

"In  the  succeeding  years,  Father  Ugarte  saw  the  i 
happy  fruits  of  his  patience,  having  not  only  brought 
the  Indians  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Christian  doc- 
trine, and  a  decent  attendance  at  divine  worship,  but 
likewise  to  a  suitable  life,  without  any  of  the  disor- 
ders of  their  savage  state.  He  inured  their  indocile 
sloth  to  labor,  and  he  had  plentiful  harvests  of 
wheat,  maize,  and  other  grain  ;  he  may  be  said  to 
have  surmounted  impossibilities  in  watering,  and 
cultivating  craggy  and  rugged  grounds.  He  even 
made  a  considerable  quantity  of  generous  wine, 
of  which,  after  supplying  the  missions  in  California, 
some  was  sent  to  New  Spain  in  exchange  for  other 
goods.  He  likewise  bred  horses  and  sheep,  and 
was,  indeed,  the  purveyor- general  of  the  garrisons 
and  missions,  who,  without  the  assistance  of  Father 
Ugarte' s  fortitude  and  industry,  could  not  have 
subsisted  ;  but  no  difficulty  deterred  him,  and 
at  last  he  brought  his  labors  to  the  intended 
issue,  and,  under  a  long  course  of  obstructions  and 
impediments,  he  saw  his  wishes  happily  accom- 
plished. 

*'To  give  a  full  idea  of  the  industry  and  zeal  of 
this  religious  man,  we  shall  add  what  he  did  in  the 
following    years    for    clothing     his     naked     Indians. 

D  2 


36  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

His  sheep,  brought  originally  from  the  other  coast, 
being  sufficiently  increased,  that  his  Indians  might 
make  the  best  use  of  their  wool,  he  determined  to 
teach  them  the  method  of  preparing,  spinning,  and 
weaving  it  for  clothes.  Accordingly,  he  himself 
made  the  distaffs,  spinning-wheels,  and  looms. 
Though,  to  forward  and  improve  so  beneficial  a 
,  -  scheme,  he  sent  [to]  Tepic  for  one  Antonio  Moran, 
a  master  weaver,  and  allowed  him  a  salary  of  five 
hundred  dollars.  Moran  stayed  several  years  in  Cali- 
fornia, till  he  had  sufficiently  instructed  the  Indians 
in  their  trade  and  some  other  handicrafts.  By 
'  these  new  manufactures  he  saved  the  vast  expenses 
of  sail,-cloth  and  baize,  —  a  measure  both  political  and 
pious. 

' '  It   was   not   without    reason    that    the    venerable 
Father  Salvatierra  used  always  to  call  Father  Ugarte 
the  apostle ;    for,  sublime  as  the  title  was,   his  labors 
were   not    unworthy   of   it.      Always   in   action,    and 
\  indefatigable  ;    present  everywhere,  and  doing  every- 

thing ;  he  attempted  everything,  and  he  accom- 
plished everything ;  but  his  activity  never  so  sig- 
nally appeared  as  in  those  beginnings  where  the 
difficulties  seemed  insurmountable ;  sometimes  he 
was  preaching,  assisting,  admonishing,  and  attend- 
ing the  soldiers ;  at  other  times  he  was  searching 
for  new  spots  of  ground  for  villages  and  fields ; 
sometimes    baptizing    the    children,    and    sometimes 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  37 

instructing  the  adults  ;  sometimes  administering  the 
sacraments  to  the  sick  and  performing  the  last 
offices  to  the  dying.  Sometimes  he  worked  in  the 
buildings ;  sometimes  in  the  field,  making  water- 
trenches,  plantations,  and  fields  ;  sometimes  he  was 
mending  the  roads  ;  sometimes  helping  to  get  ready 
the  barks  for  sea.  In  fine,  he  was  continually 
laboring  in  every  kind  of  employment,  and  the 
greatest   fatigue   he   took   upon    himself." 

A  striking  proof  of  the  good  father's  exertions 
was  seen  a  few  years  after,  in  1707,  when  all  New 
Spain,  including  the  provinces  of  Sinaloa  and  Sonora, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  gulf,  suffered  extremely 
for  want  of  rain.  California  had  also  been  without 
rain,  yet  we  find  Ugarte  says,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend, 
"It  is  now  two  months  since  the  seamen  and  lands- 
men ate  here  good  bread  of  our  own  harvests,  while 
the  poor  in  the  other  coast,  in  Sinaloa  and  Sonora, 
are  perishing."  Previously  to  this  period,  however, 
much  distress  was  suffered  and  many  reverses  under- 
gone. Repeatedly,  there  were  risings  among  the 
Indians,  both  under  Father  Ugarte  and  at  the  other 
missions,  and  more  than  once  the  cattle,  and  even 
the  harvests,  were  destroyed  by  them  ;  but  nothing 
could  destroy  the  perseverance  of  the  missionaries. 

In  1702,  Father  Piccolo,  after  a  long  absence, 
returned  with  a  slight  supply  of  money  to  pay  the 
troops  still  remaining,   and  brought  with  him  some 


38  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

more  soldiers,  as  well  as  handicraftsmen,  and  two 
new  missionaries,  —  the  fathers  Basaldiia  and  Minu- 
tili.  In  the  following  year,  Ugarte  brought  from 
the  opposite  side  of  the  gulf  a  large  supply  of  cattle 
and  provisions,  while  Salvatierra  made  progrekes 
to  extend  his  knowledge  of  the  country.  About 
the  same  time,  a  great  disaster  befell  the  mission  of 
San  Xavier,  now  under  the  charge  of  -  Basaldua, 
the  neighboring  Indians  unexpectedly  attacking  it 
and  killing  all  the  adult  catechumens,  or  converted 
Indians,  with  the  exception  of  some  who  escaped 
to  the  garrison.  To  punish  this  crime,  an  expedi- 
tion was  sent  into  the  country  of  the  Indians,  which 
speedily  defeated  them.  The  chief  promoter  of  the 
attack  was  taken,  publicly  tried,  and  finally  executed 
by  the  captain,  notwithstanding  the  entreaties  of  the 
fathers. 

This  example  of  severity  seemed  to  be  produc- 
tive of  good  effects,  as  the  Indians  remained  long 
afterwards  quiet  and  tractable,  and  the  opportunity 
was  not  lost  of  extending  the  spiritual  as  well  as 
military  conquest  of  the  country.  But  the  distress 
for  want  of  provisions  was  still  often  extreme,  and 
more  than  once  it  was  proposed  by  the  soldiers  and 
others  that  the  country  should  be  abandoned.  In 
this  extremity.  Father  Salvatierra  was  appointed 
Provincial  of  the  order  in  Mexico  (in  1705),  —  an 
appointment    which    proved   of   the   greatest    benefit 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  39 

to  the  missions.  His  first  step  was  to  address  a 
fnemorial  to  the  Viceroy,  detaiHng  at  great  length 
the  state  and  prospects  of  the  missions  and  the 
general  condition  of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants. 
In  this  paper  he  states,  that,  although  the  country 
is  so  barren  that  it  can  never  be  made  fit  for  the 
residence  of  Spaniards,  yet  that  the  father  Jesuits 
had  managed  to  reduce  a  portion  of  it,  one  hundred 
leagues  in  circuit.  He  says,  that  the  whole  of  this 
part  is  in  such  profound  peace  that  the  fathers  can 
go  over  it  alone,  without  any  guard  of  soldiers,  the 
natives  willingly  conforming  themselves  to  whatever 
the  fathers  require  of  them,  being  ready,  together 
with  1,200  Christians,  catechumens,  and  gentiles,  to 
take  arms  in  their  behalf.  He  states,  also,  that 
1,225,000  dollars  had  already  been  expended  in  the 
settling  of  the  country. 

In  1705,  Father  Salvatierra  once  more  visited 
California,  with  fresh  supplies  of  money  and  recruits. 
He  found  a  new  mission  established  at  San  Juan, 
Londo,  and  he  recommended  the  immediate  forma- 
tion of  two  others,  in  places  formerly  fixed  on,  —  one 
about  fourteen  leagues  south  of  Loreto,  and  the 
other  forty  leagues  north,  on  the  river  Mulege, 
the  former  being  named  San  Juan  Bautista  and  the 
latter  Santa  Rosalia.  The  former  of  these  enter- 
prises was  intrusted  to  Father  Pedro  Ugarte,  who 
seems   to    have    possessed   the   same    happy   tempera- 


40  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

ment  and  strong  good  sense  as  his  brother  Juan. 
The  following  is  Venegas's  account  of  his  mode  of 
proceeding  on  his  first  arrival  at  his  mission :  — 

"Father  Pedro  Ugarte  found  his  Indians  perfectly 
quiet,  peaceable,  and  without  any  apprehension, 
though  the  only  shelter  he  had  for  some  time  among 
them  was  the  shade  of  the  mesquites,  and  after- 
wards of  a  hut  made  with  branches  of  trees,  whilst 
the  chapel  and  a  little  dwelling  of  adobes,  or  raw 
bricks,  was  building.  He  endeavored,  by  little 
presents  and  caresses,  to  gain  the  affections  of  his 
Indians,  not  so  much  that  they  should  assist  him  in 
the  building,  as  that  they  might  take  a  liking  to  the 
catechism,  which  he  explained  to  them  as  well  as  he 
could,  by  the  help  of  some  Indians  of  Loreto,  while 
he  was  perfecting  himself  in  their  language.  But 
his  kindness  was  lost  on  the  adults,  who,  from  their 
invincible  sloth,  could  not  be  brought  to  help  him 
in  any  one  thing,  though  they  partook  of,  and  used 
to  be  very  urgent  with  him  for,  the  pozole  and  other 
eatables.  He  was  now  obliged  to  have  recourse  to 
the  assistance  of  the  boys,  who,  being  allured  by  the 
father  with  sweetmeats  and  presents,  accompanied 
him  wherever  he  would  have  them  ;  and  to  habitu- 
ate these  to  any  work,  it  was  necessary  to  make 
use  of  artifice.  Sometimes  he  laid  a  wager  with 
them  who  should  soonest  pluck  up  the  mesquites 
and   small    trees ;     sometimes   he   offered   rewards   to 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  41 

those  who  took  away  most  earth ;  and  it  suffices  to 
say,  that,  in  forming  the  bricks,  he  made  himself  a 
boy  with  boys,  challenged  them  to  play  with  the 
earth,  and  dance  upon  the  clay.  The  father  used 
to  take  off  his  sandals  and  tread  it,  in  which  he  was 
followed  by  the  boys  skipping  and  dancing  on  the 
clay,  and  the  father  with  them ;  the  boys  sang,  and 
were  highly  delighted  ;  the  father  also  sang  ;  and 
thus  they  continued  dancing  and  treading  the  clay, 
in  different  parts,  till  meal-time.  This  enabled  him 
to  erect  his  poor  dwelling  and  the  church.  Thus, 
with  invincible  patience  and  firmness  under  excess- 
ive labors,  he  went  on,  humanizing  the  savages 
who  lived  on  the  spot,  those  of  the  neighboring 
rancherias,  and  others,  whom  he  sought  among 
woods,  brakes,  and  caverns  ;  going  about  every- 
where, until  at  length  he  administered  baptism  to 
many  adults,  and  brought  this  new  settlement  into 
some   form." 

In  1707,  Salvatierra  having  voluntarily  resigned 
his  dignity  of  provincial  that  he  might  prosecute 
his  objects  in  California,  returned  thither  with  four 
of  the  natives  whom  he  had  taken  with  him  to 
Mexico,  and  were  brought  back  sufficiently  in- 
structed to  instruct  their  own  countrymen.  Shortly 
afterwards,  in  the  beginning  of  1708,  the  mission  of 
San  Jose  was  founded,  in  the  center  of  mountains, 
about  twenty  leagues  N.W.  of  Loreto,  and  almost  at 


42  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

equal  distance  from  both  seas.  In  1710,  the  small- 
pox broke  out  among  the  Indians,  and  carried  off  a 
great  many,  particularly  children  ;  and  other  fevers 
showed  themselves,  as  well  among  the  soldiers  as  the 
Indians.  The  superseded  priests,  or  sorcerers,  took 
advantage  of  these  misfortunes  to  promote  discon- 
tent, persuading  the  Indians  that  the  smallpox  was 
owing  to  the  fathers,  who  introduced  the  disease 
with  the  water  of  baptism,  purposely  to  destroy  the 
children.  It  is  probable  that,  independently  of  the 
accidental  source  of  disease  and  death  from  this 
dreadful  malady,  the  half -civilized  natives  began 
already  to  exhibit  that  tendency  to  sickness  and 
decay  which  has  always  prevailed,  and  still  prevails, 
among  the  domesticated  Indians,  and  which  forms 
so  striking  a  contrast  with  their  comparative  immu- 
nity from  epidemic  and  slow  maladies  in  their  wild 
condition. 

The  year  1710  was  distinguished  in  the  history  of 
California  by  the  death  of  Father  Kino,  a  man  whose 
name  is  worthy  of  grateful  remembrance  not  only 
by  his  own  order,  but  by  all  good  men.  Although, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  great  promoter  of  the  Calif or- 
nian  missions.  Kino  was  so  engaged  in  his  own  la- 
bors of  the  same  kind  among  the  Indians  in  the 
opposite  coast  that  he  could  take  no  other  share  in 
the  new  enterprise  than  that  of  exciting  the  zeal  of 
others  to  the  conquest,  and   using   his  .utmost   exer- 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  43 

tions  in  supplying  the  new  settlers  with  provisions 
or  other  necessary  supplies.  This  he  continued  to 
do,  in  the  most  effective  manner,  until  his  death; 
and  it  is  certain  that  much  of  the  success  of  the 
missions  of  the  peninsula,  perhaps  their  very  per- 
manency, was  owing  to  his  exertions.  In  his  own 
particular  sphere,  and  among  his  own  people,  his 
labors  were  incessant,  most  exemplary,  and  suc- 
cessful. "He  labored,"  says  Father  Venegas,  **  in 
the  reduction  of  the  Indians,  with  a  zeal  truly  wor- 
thy of  admiration ;  went  undauntedly  alone  among 
them,  formed  them  into  villages,  prevailed  on  them 
to  sow  their  lands  and  take  care  of  their  cattle,  as 
the  means  of  keeping  them  together,  and  employ- 
ing subordinate  agents  for  their  civil  polity.  He 
had  the  patience  to  learn  the  different  languages, 
translated  the  catechism  and  prayers,  which,  without 
being  disgusted  by  their  indocility  and  dullness,  he 
taught  them  verbally.  He  likewise  composed  vo- 
cabularies and  observations  for  the  use  of  his  assist- 
ants and  successors  ;  and  such  were  the  happy 
effects  of  his  wonderful  mildness  and  condescen- 
sion, that  they  all  loved  him  and  confided  in  him 
as  their  general  father.  He  built  houses  and  chap- 
els, formed  villages  and  towns,  reconciled  nations 
who  were  at  enmity,  and  had  he,  according  to  his 
repeated  request,  been  seconded  by  other  mission- 
aries,   the    conversion    of    all    the     nations     betwixt 


44  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

Sonora  and  the  rivers  Gila  and  Colorado  might 
have  been  easily  accomplished,  and  the  missions  of 
New  Spain  and  California  have  carried  on  an  in- 
tercourse by  land,  —  a  design  which  always  appeared 
extremely  difficult.  But  the  hardships  which  this 
worthy  man  suffered  from  the  Indians  were  the 
least,  or  rather  not  to  be  compared  to  those  he  met 
with  from  some  Spaniards,  against  whose  violences 
he  was  as  a  wall  of  brass,  in  favor  of  his  converts. 
They  obstructed  his  enterprises,  and  prevented  his 
being  assisted  by  others,  it  being  their  interest  that 
the  poor  Pimas  should  be  branded  with  the  name  of 
rebels  and  enemies,  that  they  might  commit  depre- 
dations among  them,  and  force  the  Indians  to  serve 
them  as  slaves." 

Amid  all  his  domestic  labors  as  a  missionary. 
Father  Kino  could  not  quite  forget  the  tastes  of  the 
professor,  and  entertained  an  anxious  desire  to  ex- 
plore the  country  to  the  north,  and  more  particularly 
to  solve  the  problem,  at  that  time  still  doubted,  as 
to  the  insular  or  peninsular  character  of  California. 
It  is  but  justice  to  the  worthy  missionary  to  state  that, 
in  wishing  to  extend  his  geographical  researches,  he 
was  much  more  influenced  by  the  desire  to  benefit 
the  cause  of  Christianity  than  that  of  science,  as  he 
believed  it  would  be  most  important  for  the  welfare 
of  the  new  missions  in  California  if  they  could  be 
made  accessible  by  land.     With  the  view  of  setthng 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  45 

the  question,  he  made  several  journeys  to  the  north- 
ward, and  although  he  did  not  actually  penetrate 
into  California  by  land,  he  satisfactorily  ascertained 
its  connection  with  the  mainland  of  New  Spain. 
He  made  no  less  than  five  journeys  in  the  years  1700, 
1701,  and  1702  and  1706,  in  all  of  which  he  reached 
the  rivers  of  Gila  or  Colorado,  and  on  one  occasion 
he  crossed  the  latter,  but  was  prevented  by  an  acci- 
dent from  passing  on  to  Monterey,  in  Upper  Cali- 
fornia, as  he  intended  ;  but  he  pointed  out  the  way 
which  was  followed  by  his  successors  many  years 
afterwards. 


CHAPTER    III 

PROGRESS    OF    THE    MISSIONS    TO    THE    PRESENT    TIME 

During  the  succeeding  years,  the  fathers,  more  par- 
ticularly the  indefatigable  Ugarte,  made  many  pro- 
gresses through  the  peninsula  in  search  of  more 
favorable  localities  for  missions,  and  also  with  the 
benevolent  object  of  composing  the  feuds  and  petty 
wars  between  the  different  tribes,  which  had  always 
been  found  a  great  obstacle  to  their  civilization. 
In  the  year  1716,  Father  Salvatierra  succeeded  in 
getting  recognized  and  established  a  general  system 
of  government,  of  a  better  and  more  definite  kind 
than  had  hitherto  prevailed,  including  the  mission- 
aries, the  soldiers,  divers,  and  natives ;  and  as  this 
was  observed  not  only  during  the  whole  period  of 
the  dominion  of  the  Jesuits,  but  also,  in  a  great 
measure,  during  the  rule  of  their  successors,  and 
even  still  exists,  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  brief  notice 
of  it  here  ;  but  we  shall  first  complete  the  sketch  of 
the  history  of  the  missions. 

In   the   year    1717,    California    was    visited    with   a 

46 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  47 

tremendous  hurricane,  accompanied  with  violent 
rains,  which  is  deserving  of  notice  in  this  place,  not 
only  because  it  destroyed  the  house  and  church  of 
Father  Ugarte,  but  because  the  effects  then  wit- 
nessed help  to  account  for  the  singular  bareness 
and  barrenness  of  the  country.  Both  at  San  Xavier 
and  Mulege  all  the  cultivated  land  was  utterly  de- 
stroyed, the  soil  being  carried  away  by  the  torrents, 
and  nothing  left  but  the  bare  rocks  and  stones. 
Modern  travelers  give  similar  accounts  of  the 
country,  and  justify  the  obvious  remark  of  Venegas, 
that  "if,  in  former  ages,  these  hurricanes  were  fre- 
quent in  California,  it  is  not  surprising  that  all  its 
mold  should  have  been  swept  away,  its  bare  rocks 
alone  remaining,  and  its  plains  and  valleys  covered 
with  heaps  of  stones." 

hi  1719  a  great  feat  was  performed  by  the  inde- 
fatigable Ugarte,  in  the  construction  of  a  vessel  of 
considerable  size,  in  California,  with  native  timber, 
which  he  discovered,  of  sufficient  size,  —  and  there 
only,  —  amid  the  mountains,  full  thirty  leagues  from 
the  river  Mulege,  where  the  vessel  was  built.  In  1720, 
two  new  missions  were  founded,  —  that  of  La  Paz, 
near  the  bay  of  that  name,  eighty  leagues  south  of 
Loreto ;  and  that  of  Guadalupe,  nearly  at  the  same 
distance,  to  the  N.W.,  amid  the  mountains,  but  much 
nearer  the  shore  of  the  Pacific  than  the  gulf.  This 
part   of   the   country  is  so  extremely  barren   that   no 


48  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

grain  can  be  produced  in  it,  and  the  inhabitants  are 
therefore  supported  either  by  such  cattle  as  it  will 
support,  or  by  maize  brought  from  other  missions. 
Such,  however,  was  the  zeal  of  Father  Helen,  the 
founder,  that  in  six  years  from  its  first  settlement 
no  less  than  1,700  Indians  were  converted  and  settled 
in  five  villages,  each  with  its  church.  In  the  follow- 
ing year,  Ugarte  sailed  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  to 
the  north  of  the  gulf,  surveyed  the  coast,  and  reached 
the  river  Colorado,  confirming  all  the  previous  state- 
ments of  Kino.  In  the  survey,  several  harbors 
and  watering-places  were  discovered  on  the  Califor- 
nian  shore,  but  the  same  barrenness  prevailed  over 
all.  "There  's  something  ails  the  spot;  the  place  is 
cursed."  In  this  year,  also,  the  mission  of  Dolores 
del  Sur  was  founded,  midway  between  Loreto  and 
La  Paz,  in  a  place  described  as  the  most  barren  of 
all  California,  there  being  no  spot  whatever  fit  for 
the  growth  of  maize.  Father  Guillen,  the  founder, 
remained  here,  however,  upwards  of  thirty  years, 
during  which  time,  by  his  single  exertions,  he  con- 
verted to  Christianity  the  whole  of  the  natives  over 
a  tract  of  forty  leagues,  extending  from  sea  to  sea, 
settling  them  in  villages,  and  destroying  all  feuds 
among  the  different  clans.  This  mission,  in  sub- 
sequent years,  proved  valuable  to  the  fathers  as  an 
asylum  when  other  districts  fell  from  their  allegiance. 
In  1723,  the  mission  of  Santiago  was  founded,  to  the 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  49 

south  of  La  Paz ;  and  in  1728,  that  of  San  Ignacio, 
in  the  extreme  north,  in  latitude  28°,  about  seventy 
leagues  from  Loreto.  This  last  was  founded  by 
Father  Luyando,  a  wealthy  Mexican  Jesuit,  at  his  own 
expense ;  and  as  the  account  of  its  foundation  and 
early  progress  gives  a  good  picture  of  the  general 
mode  of  proceeding  of  the  Jesuits  in  establishing 
their  settlements  at  the  period  at  which  we  are  now 
arrived,  I  shall  here  give,  in  an  abridged  form,  from 
Venegas,  the  simple  and  humble  history  of  the 
establishment  of  this  little   community. 

It  had  been  a  long  time  a  great  object  with  the 
fathers  to  found  a  mission  to  the  north  of  Guada- 
lupe, as  well  for  the  great  general  purpose  of  ex- 
tending Christianity  among  the  natives  as  because 
the  country  possessed  some  local  advantages.  So 
early  as  1706,  this  country  of  the  Cochimi  had  been 
visited  by  Father  Piccolo,  and  the  Indians  had 
shown  very  favorable  dispositions,  which  continued 
to  be  cherished  by  the  occasional  visits  of  the  fathers 
from  the  southern  missions.  The  spot  selected  for  the 
mission  of  San  Ignacio,  which'  lies  in  about  the  28th 
degree  of  north  latitude,  and  one  third  nearer  the 
gulf  than  the  ocean,  was  preferred  for  its  extraor- 
dinary fertility,  compared  with  most  of  the  other 
stations.  It  possessed  both  water,  and  a  soil  fit  for 
the  growth  of  corn.  In  January,  1728,  Father  Lu- 
yando set  out   on   his   expedition  to   Loreto,  accom- 


50  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

panied  by  nine  soldiers,  the  Cochimi  Indians  of  San 
Ignacio  having  been  previously  prepared  to  receive 
him  favorably,  by  Father  Sistiaga  of  Santa  Rosalia. 
He  entered  on  his  office  of  civilizing  the  Indians 
(which  was  little  else  than  that  of  teaching  them  to 
repeat  the  prayers  of  the  Church,  and  baptizing  such 
as  believed)  and  of  cultivating  the  soil  at  the  same 
time.  As  a  preliminary  to  baptism,  he  insisted  on 
the  abjuration  of  faith  in  the  native  jugglers  or 
priests,  and  demanded  the  breaking  and  burning  of 
their  smoking -tubes,  and  other  instruments  and 
tokens  of  superstition,  as  a  proof  of  this.  As  usual," 
the  feeding  of  the  Indians  went  hand  in  hand  with 
the  conversion,  and,  by  his  largesses  and  2eal,  Father 
Luyando,  in  a  few  months'  time,  could  number  fiye 
hundred  catechumens  at  his  distributions  of  pottage 
and  of  holy  water.  Aided  by  the  converts,  the  sol- 
diers set  about  constructing  a  church,  and  with 
such  .  zeal  that  it  was  finished  and  consecrated 
within  the  year.  The  year  before,  Sistiaga  had 
planted  some  maize  and  wheat.  This  was  now  har- 
vested, and  the  agricultural  operations  much  ex- 
tended. Father  Helen,  also,  at  a  former  visitation, 
had  introduced  some  foreign  vegetables,  and  Father 
Luyando  now  laid  out  a  spot  for  a  garden,  *'  where 
(as  Father  Venegas  says)  exotic  plants,  in  that  bar- 
ren land,  throve  well,  and  others,  which  were  natives 
of     it,    throve     under     his     culture."     He     likewise 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  51 

planted  vines,  olive-trees,  fig-trees,  and  sugar-canes  ; 
all  of  which  seem  to  have  succeeded,  and  proved  of 
great  service  to  the  mission.  The  Indians  in  this 
mission  'proved,  on  the  whole,  more  intelligent  than 
in  the  others,  and  readily  joined  in  the  good  father's 
husbandry,  so  that  at  the  fourth  harvest  we  are  told 
that  he  garnered  no  less  than  a  thousand  bushels  of 
grain  of  all  sorts.  Their  new  lord  also  endeavored 
to  prevail  on  them  to  live  in  huts,  which  he  taught 
them'  to  build,  of  unburnt  bricks  and  the  boughs  of 
tKees  ;  but  he  found  it  very  difficult  to  reconcile 
them  to  live  in  them.  Into  the  parts  fit  for  pas- 
tures he  likewise  introduced  cattle,  both  large  and 
small,  with  the  view  to  breeding.  In  short,  every- 
thing seemed  prospering  and  likely  to  prosper, 
' '  when  ( as  Father  Venegas  expresses  it )  the  great 
enemy  to  the  peace  and  happiness  of  mankind  in- 
stigated the  neighboring  Indians  to  disturb  the 
tranquillity  of  the  mission,  and  render  all  the  pains 
of  the  father  abortive."  Previously  to  this  greater 
disturbance,  however,  it  was  evident  that  things  did 
not  proceed  quite  smoothly  in  the  little  state.  From 
the  beginning,  it  was  found,  here  as  elsewhere,  that 
the  elders  of  the  tribes  were  slow  to  embrace  the 
new  faith,  even  when  almost  all  the  young  and  the 
women  had  done  so  ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
(as  Father  Venegas  says)  "that,  having  been  the 
respected    teachers    of    the    nation,    they    could    not 

E2 


52  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

prevail  on  themselves  to  be  scholars  to  strangers,  or 
stand  among  boys,  or  even  be  ridiculed  by  them." 
It  showed,  indeed,  a  marvelous  ignorance  of  human 
nature  in  the  fathers  to  place  the  seniors  in  such 
degrading  relationship  to  their  children  and  women. 
However,  the  actual  aggressors  in  the  attack  on  the 
new  Christians  of  the  mission  came  from  the  north, 
or,  rather,  had  their  haunts  on  the  northern  borders 
of  the  converted  Indians.  Some  of  the  villages  of 
those  people  they  attacked,  and  killed  a  few  of  the 
inhabitants.  The  rest  fled  to  the  mission  for  pro- 
tection ;  a  great  alarm  was  excited,  and  war  was 
declared.  All  the  converts  were  mustered,  and  were 
proved  to  amount  to  350  men  fit  for  war.  To  these 
were  joined  the  garrison  of  the  mission,  consisting 
of  two  soldiers^  and,  after  due  preparation  of  arm- 
ing and  disciplining,  they  boldly  marched  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy.  These  proved  to  be  very  inferior  in 
numbers,  and  not  very  vigilant,  since  they  allowed 
themselves  to  be  surrounded  while  asleep  during 
the  night.  Two,  only,  escaped  ;  all  the  rest,  to  the 
number  of  thirty-four,  were  taken  prisoners,  and 
marched  in  triumph  to  San  Ignacio.  Great  was 
the  glory,  and  great  the  rejoicings,  which  Father 
Venegas  records  with  all  the  solemnity  of  history. 
"The  fathers  (he  says)  led  the  victorious  army  to 
the  church,  where  thanks  were  returned  for  this 
victory,  gained  without  shedding  any  blood,  or  even 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  53 

discharging  a  single  arrow.  Next  day,  all  the  peo- 
ple were  assembled,  and,  the  soldiers  and  gover- 
nors sitting  as  judges,  the  prisoners  were  brought  to 
trial,  and,  being  convicted  of  rebellion,  robbery,  and 
murder,  they  were  sentenced  to  be  removed  to  Lo- 
reto,  as  guilty  of  capital  crimes.  At  this  the  new 
Christians  danced  for  joy,  thinking  they  should  now 
have  the  pleasure  of  killing  their  enemies  and  re- 
venging themselves."  But  the  good  fathers  were 
too  tender-hearted  to  indulge  either  the  converts  or 
the  soldier-judges,  and  the  whole  affair  ended  by 
the  ''principal  murderer"  being  whipped!  How- 
ever, the  lenity,  as  well  as  the  victory,  had  good 
effects  on  the  natives,  as  most  of  the  conquered 
afterwards  became  converts,  and  the  tribes  to  the 
north  were  at  once  checked  by  the  demonstration 
of  power,  and  the   mild  exercise   of  it. 

In  1730,  the  mission  of  San  Jose,  close  to  Cape 
San  Lucas,  was  founded,  and,  soon  after,  that  of 
Santa  Rosa,  near  the  same  extremity  of  the  penin- 
sula ;  and,  although  they  seemed  to  be  attended,  at 
first,  with  the  usual  success,  this  was  shortly  put  an 
end  to  by  a  general  rising  of  all  the  natives  in  this 
district.  There  being  only  two  or  three  soldiers 
among  all  the  missions,  no  effectual  resistance  could 
be  afforded  to  the  "rebels,"  as  the  fathers  termed 
them,  and,  accordingly,  they  soon  had  everything 
their  own  way.     In  1734,  the  two  fathers,  Carranco 


54  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

and  Tamaral,  were  murdered,  as  well  as  one  of  the 
soldiers  ;  the  other  fathers  and  the  soldiers  fled, 
and  the  whole  of  the  southern  missions  were  con- 
sequently lost.  Apprehensive  of  similar  disasters  in 
other  parts,  the  fathers  were  recalled  from  the 
northern  missions ;  and  at  one  time  in  the  following 
year  not  a  Spaniard  remained  in  the .  country,  ex- 
cept at  Loreto.  In  this  disastrous  state  of  affairs 
they  were  relieved  by  a  reinforcement  of  troops 
from  Sinaloa,  headed  by  the  governor,  who  attacked 
the  Indians  in  different  places,  and  finally  reduced 
the  country  to  tranquillity.  After  some  time  the 
missions  were  gradually  restored,  and  the  fathers 
proceeded  in  their  works  of  conversion  and  civiliza- 
tion. Accordingly,  we  find,  from  an  official  report 
drawn  up  by  the  missionaries  in  1745,  that  not  only 
all  the  old  stations  were  reoccupied,  but  several  new 
ones  planted.  They  amounted,  in  all,  to  fourteen, 
besides  two  then  in  progress  ;    viz., — 

1.  Nuestra  Senora  de  Loreto. 

2.  San  Francisco  Xavier. 

3.  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  del  Sur. 

4.  San  Luis  Gonzaga.  ' 

5.  San  Jose  de  Comondu. 

6.  Santa  Rosalia  de  Mulege. 

7.  La  Purisima  Concepcion. 

8.  Nuestra  Senora  de  Guadalupe. 

9.  San  Ignacio. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  55 

10.  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores  del  Norte. 

11.  Santiago  del  Sur. 

12.  Nuestra  Senora  del  Pilar  de  la  Paz. 

13.  San  Jose  del  Cabo  de  San  Lucas. 

14.  Santa  Rosa  de  la  Ensenada  de  Palmas. 

No  very  great  progress,  however,  could  be  made 
in  so  unpromising  a  field,  from  which  the  whole 
race  of  missionaries  were  removed  in  1767,  on  the 
general  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from  the  Spanish 
dominions.  At  this  time  the  number  of  missions 
were  sixteen.  The  exiled  fathers  were  superseded 
in  their  missions  by  a  body  of  Franciscans  from 
Mexico,  but  they  were  soon  displaced  by  the 
Dominican  monks,  who  still  keep  possession  of  the 
country. 

In  1786,  as  Laperouse  informs  us,  the  missions 
were  fifteen  in  number,  ten  of  them  being  still 
possessed  by  the  Franciscans,  the  others  by  the 
Dominicans.  The  whole  number  of  converted  In- 
dians at  that  time  was  reckoned  at  about  four 
thousand.  The  garrison  of  Loreto  consisted  of 
fifty-four  soldiers,  and  this,  and  a  few  soldiers  fur- 
nished to  the  other  missions,  was  the  whole  military 
force  of  the  country. 


CHAPTER    IV 

CHARACTER    OF  THE    MISSIONARY  GOVERNMENT.— PRESENT 
STATE    OF   THE    COUNTRY.  — PRODUCE.  — PEARL-FISHERY 

During  the  rule  of  Father  Salvatierra,  the  whole 
regulations  relating  to  the  property  and  conduct  of 
the  missions  and  the  treatment  of  the  natives  were, 
as  already  stated,  reduced  to  a  regular  system,  and 
this  has  been  acted  on  ever  since,  with  but  slight 
deviation,  even  by  the  enemies  of  the  order  of 
Jesuits,  who  succeeded  them.  As  affording  the 
best  security  for  the  funds  belonging  to  the  mis- 
sions, farms  in  Mexico  were  purchased  by  them. 
At  the  same  time,  the  payment  of  the  royal  sala- 
ries allowed  to  the  missionaries  was  put  on  a  better 
footing.  These  salaries  were  paid  to  the  directors 
of  the  missions  in  Mexico,  the  missionaries  having 
the  equivalent  value  transmitted  to  them  in  the 
form  of  clothes,  furniture,  utensils,  provisions,  medi- 
cines, mules,  &c.  The  garrisons  and  soldiers  were 
paid  by  government,  but  they  still  continued 
under  the  authority  of  the  fathers,  except  as  re- 
garded their  internal  discipline,  and  when  they  were 
engaged  in  matters  of  a  purely  military  character. 
The  following  extracts  from   Father  Venegas  give  ^a 

56 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  S7 

tolerably  clear  view  of  the  general  economy  of  the 
missionaries,  both  religious  and  civil ;  but  it  is  neces- 
sary to  recollect,  in  reading  them,  that  the  narra- 
tor is,  himself,  one  of  the  order  which  he  eulogizes. 
"At  first  the  fathers  subsisted  all  the  Indians,  who 
came  to  settle  in  villages,  on  condition  that  they 
should  no  longer  wander  among  the  woods  and 
mountains,  but  be  instructed  in  the  faith ;  and  in 
these  charities  great  part  of  the  contributions  of 
the  benefactors  has  been  expended.  And  after 
they  were  thus  brought  together,  it  being  impossi- 
ble to  subsist  all,  and  equally  so  to  make  fields  for 
sowing  in  many  parts,  either  from  the  nature  of  the 
soil,  want  of  water,  or  the  innate  indolence  and  sloth 
of  the  people,  the  following  method  was  taken. 
First,  the  missionaries  supported  all  the  Indians  who 
attended  divine  service.  Every  morning  and  night 
they  have  an  allowance  of  atole,  —  the  name  they 
give  to  their  pottage,  —  made  of  maize,  boiled,  ^nd 
afterwards  bruised,  macerated  in  water,  and  put  a 
second  time  over  the  fire.  At  noon  they  are  served 
with  pozole,  or  boiled  maize,  with  fresh  or  salt 
meat,  and  -  fruits  or  vegetables,  according  as  the 
mission  is  provided.  In  the  same  manner  the  In- 
dian governor  of  the  village,  the  sick,  the  aged,  and 
the  children  of  all  the  rancherias,  male  and  female, 
from  six  to  twelve  years,  are  provided  with  food. 
Besides    this,    every    week    the    same     allowance    is 


58  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

given  to  all  the  Indians  of  two  rancherias,  male  and 
female,  in  consideration  that  they  all  come  in  their 
order,  two  by  two,  to  the  head  village  of  the  mis- 
sion, in  order  to  renew  their  instructions.  Lastly, 
every  Sunday,  all  who  attend  divine  service  have  a 
portion  of  victuals,  and  in  Passion  Week  the  like  is 
sent  to  all  the  rancherias. 

' '  The  missionary  priest  likewise  clothes  all  his 
parishioners  with  serges,  baize,  and  palmillas,  a  sort 
of  coarse  cloth  woven  in  Old  Spain  ;  he  also  pro- 
vides them  with  cloaks  and  blankets,  which  he  pro- 
cures from  Mexico,  on  his  stipend.  Those  who  can 
work  are  instructed  by  the  fathers  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  fields,  and  watering  the  ground,  the 
product  of  which  is  entirely  for  their  own  advan- 
tage, and  the  consequence  is,  that  they  gather  it, 
and  immediately  waste  the  whole;,  unless  the  fa- 
thers take  care  to  save  it  up,  in  order  to  make  a 
proper  distribution,  or  to  send  relief  to  another 
mission  in  necessity.  Wine  is  the  only  product 
withheld  from  them,  and  this  in  order  to  prevent 
drunkenness  ;  and  it  is  for  this  reason,  that,  though 
the  vintages  are  but  inconsiderable,  some  quantities 
of  it,  there  being  but  few  consumers  in  California, 
have  been  exported  to  New  Spain,  in  exchange  for 
other  commodities.  What  wine  the  father  has  is 
chiefly  given  to  the  sick,  whom  he  likewise  supplies 
with   medicines,   so   that  a  missionary   and   priest   of 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  59 

California  is  not  only  charged  with  the  care  of  their 
souls,  but  likewise  with  all  the  several  duties  of  a 
father  of  a  family,  together  with  the  several  me- 
chanical occupations  from  a  laborer  to  a  cook. 
He  is  likewise  a  tutor,  apothecary,  surgeon,  and 
physician  to  all ;  and  this  without  the  least  profit, 
advantage,  or  reward,  spending  his  own  substance, 
abridging  himself  of  conveniencies,  even  necessa- 
ries,  to  supply  their  wants. 

"  In  every  mission  newly  founded,  the  father  is 
attended  by  a  soldier,  who,  within  certain  bounds, 
has  the  power  of  the  captain  of  the  garrison.  When 
the  father  has  assembled  any  rancherias,  he  ap- 
points the  person  whom  he  thinks  most  proper  as 
governor  of  the  village  ;  another  Indian  to  take 
care  of  the  church ;  and  out  of  each  rancheria  a 
person  of  the  most  promising  morals,  and  particu- 
larly instructed,  is  appointed  catechist.  The  gover- 
nor's office  is  to  keep  peace  and  good  order  ;  and 
if  anything  happens  that  he  cannot  remedy,  he 
is  to  acquaint  the  father  and  soldier  with  it.  The 
churchwarden  is  to  take  care  of  the  church  and 
keep  it  clean ;  he  is  also  to  take  notice  of  those  that 
fail  coming  to  mass  and  other  exercises  of  devotion, 
those  that  do  not  behave  with  proper  respept,  and 
those  who  either  return  to  their  former  supersti- 
tions, or  betray  any  ill-will  against  the  fathers,  or 
disgust    at    the    instructions.     The   catechist    of    the 


60  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

rancheria  summons  them  every  morning,  before 
they  go  to  the  woods,  to  repeat  their  prayers  and 
catechism ;  and  if  anything  deserving  animadver- 
sion happens  in  the  rancheria,  he  acquaints  the 
father   of   it. 

'*  During  the  absence  of  the  father,  either  to  visit 
villages  and  rancherias,  attend  the  sick,  or  termi- 
nate quarrels,  the  soldier  acts  as  his  vicegerent, 
and  has  an  eye  to  everything.  He  is,  at  the  father's 
order,  to  go  wherever  it  is  necessary ;  he  can  seize 
delinquents  and  mildly  punish  them,  unless  in  capi- 
tal cases,  when  he  is  to  lay  the  case  before  the 
captain  of  the  garrison,  who  is  invested  with  the 
judicial  power.  Lesser  faults  are  punished  with 
whipping,  and  the  greater  with  imprisonment  or 
the   stocks. 

"The  first  care  is  of  the  children,  as  the  whole 
depends  on  their  education.  Some,  from  all  the 
missions,  are  brought  up  at  Loreto,  which  has  a 
reading,  writing,  and  singing  school,  with  proper 
masters,  who  come  from  the  opposite  coast.  They 
become  gradually  polished  by  conversation  ;  they 
are  taught  the  Spanish,  and  afterwards  are  pro- 
moted to  be  churchwardens  or  catechists  in  their 
rancherias,  where  they  are  greatly  respected.  At 
the  head  villages,  every-  morning,  the  churchwarden 
assembles  all  the  inhabitants  in  the  church,  whither 
the    rancherias    come    by    turns,    and    there   the    Te 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  61 

Deum  is  sung.  This  is  followed  by  the  mass,  and 
afterwards  by  the  catechism,  which  is  translated 
into  their  languages,  and,  several  times  a  week,  the 
whole  concludes  with  an  explication,  or  sermon, 
instructing  and  animating  them  in  every  part  of  the 
Christian  life.  The  adult  Christians  then  undertake 
some  employment,  or  go  among  the  woods  in  quest 
of  sustenance.  At  night  they  all  meet  again  in  the 
church,  and  perform  their  devotions.  Every  Sun- 
day they  walk  in  procession  round  the  village,  sing- 
ing ;  they  then  return  to  the  church,  where  a  ser- 
mon is  preached  to  them.  The  like  is  done  at 
Loreto  every  Saturday,  in  Spanish,  for  the  garrison. 

*'No  one  is  compelled  by  force  to  receive  the 
faith  ;  all  who  are  baptized  desire  it,  not  only 
freely  and  without  the  least  compulsion,  but  all 
possible  assurances  are  given  of  their  sincerity 
and  perseverance.  The  garrison  and  soldiers 
check  the  insults  of  the  savages  ;  but  if  the  orders 
and  intentions  of  His  Majesty  and  the  Spanish 
government  be  complied  with,  they  never  offer  them 
the  least  injury,  never  so  much  as  pursuing  them, 
unless  provoked ;  the  chief  end  of  their  service  is 
no  more  than  as  a  just  and  prudent  safeguard  for 
the  lives  of  the  missionaries." 

What  with  the  insuperable  barrenness  of  the 
country,  and  the  injurious  influence  of  the  system 
of  civilization  —  or,  more   properly  speaking,  domesti- 


62  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

cation  —  so  rigidly  persevered  in  by  the  missionaries, 
the  indigenous  population  of  Lower  California  has 
greatly  diminished,  while  the  defect  has  not  been 
in  any  degree  supplied  by  the  influx  of  strangers. 
Indeed,  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  the  institutions 
of  the  fathers  conspire  in  forbidding  all  immigra- 
tion. Humboldt  states  the  total  amount  of  the 
national  population  not  to  exceed ,  nine  thousand, 
rather  more  than  half  of  which  are  the  tributary 
converts  of  the  fathers.  This  estimate  is  perhaps 
too  small.  I  can,  however,  state  with  confidence, 
that,  even  at  the  present  time,  the  population, 
including  all  classes,  does  not  exceed  fourteen  or 
fifteen  thousand.  Most  of  the  missions  are  in  a 
wretched  condition,  and  the  Indians,  poor  and 
helpless,  slaves  both  in  body  and  mind,  have  no 
knowledge,  and  no  will  but  those  of  the  friars. 

We  shall  defer  all  particular  notice  of  their  pecu- 
liar character  and  position  until  we  come  to  give 
an  account  of  Upper  California. 

The  capital,  Loreto,  has  less  than  three  hundred 
inhabitants.  The  only  town  of  any  importance,  as 
to  size,  is  La  Paz,  which,  together  with  San  Antonio, 
contains,  perhaps,  a  population  of  two  thousand, — 
most  of  them  the  mixed  progeny  of  European  sea- 
men, Spanish  Creoles,  and  Indians.  The  vicinity  of 
a  tolerable  harbor  —  Pichilingue  —  renders  this  place 
of  more  importance. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  63        > 

The  indomitable  barrenness  of  Lower  California, 
the  more  remarkable  as  contrasted  with  the  fertility 
of  the  upper  province,  has  not  only  necessarily  kept 
at  an  extremely  low  ^bb  her  agriculture  and  com- 
merce, but  has  given  the  country  so  bad  a  character 
that  its  resources  have  fallen  far  below  their  intrinsic 
value.  If  the  country  is  capable  of  producing  little, 
the  antiquated  monastic  institutions  by  which  it  is 
throughout  possessed  are  ill  calculated  to  improve 
this  little.  The  natural  productions  are  nearly  the 
same  as  those  in  Upper  California.  There  are  said 
to  be  many  mines  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  penin- 
sula, but  none  are  now  worked,  unless,  indeed,  we 
may  except  those  of  San  Antonio,  near  La  Paz, 
which  still  afford  a  trifling  supply.  Besides  Indian 
corn,  the  >  sheltered  valleys  near  the  different  missions 
produce  a  variety  of  fruit,  such  as  grapes,  dates, 
figs,  quinces,  peaches,  pears,  olives.  The  dates,  figs, 
&c.,  are  dried  and  preserved,  and  exported  ;  and 
wine  is  made  from  the  grapes,  and  also  exported,  as 
well  as  a  kind  of  spirit  distilled  from  the  mescal. 
These  articles,  with  pearls,  tortoise-shell,  a  few  bul- 
lock's hides,  some  dried  beef,  cheese,  soap,  &c.,  con- 
stitute all  the  exports,  which  are,  for  the  rniost  part, 
sent  to  San  Bias  and  Mazatlan  in  small  coasting- 
vessels.  The  imports  are  chiefly  provisions  and 
clothing,  agricultural  and  domestic  utensils,  sup- 
plies for  the  ceremonies  of  the  church,  and  a  small 
share  of  the  ordinary  luxuries  of  life. 


64  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

For  one  branch  of  commerce  —  the  pearl-fishery  — 
CaUfornia  has  been  famed  from  its  first  discovery. 
The  glory  and  the  riches  derived  from  this  source 
are,  however,  almost  traditional ;  at  least,  the  actual 
amount  of  the  trade  is  insignificant.  Nevertheless,  it 
is  by  no  means  certain  that  the  sources  of  a  beneficial 
commerce  in  this  respect  do  not  yet  exist,  provided 
proper  means  were  taken  for  pursuing  it  with  effect. 

Long  before  the  discovery  of  America  by  the 
Europeans,  the  natives  of  many  of  the  maritime 
parts  of  it  were  acquainted  with  the  art  of  diving  for 
pearls,  as  these  were  found  by  the  first  discoverers 
to  be  held  in  great  estimation  as  ornaments.  * 
Hernando  de  Soto  found  them  in  great  quantity  in 
Florida,  where  the  tombs  of  the  native  princes  were 
ornamented  with  them  ;  and  among  the  presents 
made  to  Cortes  by  Montezuma,  before  his  entry 
into  Mexico,  necklaces  of  precious  stones  and  of 
pearls  are  mentioned  by  Gomara  :  these  Cortes 
sent  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  The  Incas  of  Peru, 
also,  we  are  told  by  Garcilaso,  set  a  great  value  on 
pearls,  but  the  laws  of  Manco  Capac  prohibited  the 
natives  from  exercising  the  trade  of  diver,  as  being 
dangerous  to  the   individual   and   not  very  profitable 

*  It  was  not,  indeed,  necessary  that  they  should  be  divers,  in  order 
to  possess  pearls,  as  we  find  from  the  voyage  of  Father  Consag 
(Venegas,  vol.  II,  p.  310)  that  in  certain  places  (as  at  Cape  San 
Miguel,  in  lat.  29  deg.)  the  sea  throws  up  on  the  shore  great  quantities 
of    them. 


LOWER     CALIFORNIA  65 

to^the  state.*  After  the  discovery  of  America,  the 
traffic  in  pearls  became  considerable.  They  were 
found  chiefly  near  the  island  of  Cubagua,  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  de  la  Hacha,  and  in  the  gulf-  of 
Panama,  near  the  Islas  de  las  Perlas  (whose  inhabi- 
tants still  pursue  the  fishery),  on  the  shore  to  the 
north  of  Acapulco,  and  on  the  east  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia, in  the  gulf.  We  are  told  by  Acosta  that,  in 
1587,  697  pounds  of  pearls  were  imported  into  Seville, 
from  America,  upwards  of  1 1  pounds  of  which  were  of 
the  greatest  beauty,  and  destined  for  the  king,  Philip 
II.  .The  pearl-fisheries  of  Cabagua  and  Rio  de  la 
Hacha  seem  to  have  been  of  short  duration,  and 
their  exhaustion  turned  the  traders  more  eagerly 
towards  that  of  California,  which  had  already  sup- 
plied the  crown  of  Spain  with  its  richest  pearls, 
found  in  the  expeditions  of  Yturbi  and  Pinadero. 
In  those  times,  the  trade  in  pearls  was  certainly  very 
considerable,  and  this  continued  to  be  carried  on 
without  any  restriction  up  to  the  period  of  the 
settling  of  the  country  by  the  Jesuits.  It  is  stated 
by  Torquemada,  that,  previously  to  the  arrival  of  the 
strangers,  the  Californians  hardly  put  any  value  on 
the  pearls,  as  they  were  in  the  habit  of  throwing 
the  oyster  into  the  fire,  in  order  to  obtain  the  flesh 
for  food,  the  pearls  being  destroyed  by  the  same 
process.     "But  the  avidity  of  others,"  he  adds,  *'has 

*  Humboldt's    New    Spain. 


66  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

communicated  its  flame  even  to  this  simple  people, 
who  are  now  eager  to  get,  and  careful  to  keep,  what 
they  have  seen  highly  valued  by  foreigners."  The 
conduct  of  the  Jesuits  in  regard  to  this  fishery  has 
been  already  stated :  it  was  strictly  forbidden,  on 
account  of  the  oppression  and  cruelty  to  the  natives 
to   which  it  led. 

The  rude  and  savage  adventurers  of  those  days 
little  regarded  the  welfare,  or  even  lives,;  of  the  In- 
dians, when  put  in  competition  with  their  own  self- 
ish interests,  and  it  was  customary  to  kidnap,  and 
employ  by  force,  as  divers,  in  the  pearl-fishery,  all  they 
could  lay  their  hands  on,  on  the  coasts  and  islands 
of  the  gulf.  Many  of  the  natives,  no  doubt,  volun^ 
tarily  lent  themselves  to  this  employment,  under 
certain  terms  of  remuneration,  but  this  was  rather 
the  habit  of  the  few  regular  traders,  than  of  the 
many  casual  adventurers  who  sought  the  peninsula 
in  search  of  its  boasted  treasures.  A  characteristic 
illustration  of  this  fact  is  mentioned  by  Father 
Consag,  in  his  voyage  for  surveying  the  coast  of 
,  California  in  1746,  and  which  we  believe  to  be  no 
less  just  as  indicative  of  the  character  of  the  fathers, 
than  it  is  of  the  practices  of  the  pearl-fishers.  On 
reaching  a  part  of  the  coast  near  the  top  of  the 
gulf,  he  says,  ' '  The  people,  on  seeing  the  canoes, 
took  us  for  divers,  and  fled  up  the  country,  the 
outrages    and    brutality    of    these    men    having    reh- 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  67 

dered  them  equally  dreaded  and  detested  by  all 
the  natives  of  California,  but,  on  being  made  ac- 
quainted by  some  of  their  countrymen,  who  were 
with  me,  that  A  Father  was  come  in  ther  canoes, 
they  immediately  returned."*  It  is  indeed  true, 
that,  after  the  establishment  of  the  Jesuits,  the  pearl- 
fishery,  which  had  been  previously  greatly  inter- 
rupted by  the  opposition  of  the  natives,  originating 
in  these  cruelties,  began  to  be  prosecuted  with 
greater  vigor  and  success  than  ever,  now  that  the 
divers  were  left,  in  a  considerable  degree,  unmo- 
lested ;  but  the  divers  and  traders  did  not  belong 
to  California,  but  came  from  the  opposite  shores  of 
the  gulf,  whose  inhabitants  to  this  day  -are  the  prin- 
cipal fishers.  The  Jesuits  had  the  influence  to  obtain 
authority  from  the  government  not  only  for  ex- 
cluding all  vessels  from  fishing  in  the  gulf,  except 
such  as  had  the  viceroy's  license,  but  also  that  the 
military  commandant  in  California  (who,  be  it  re- 
membered, was  under  the  authority  of  the  fathers) 
should'  have  the  power  to  examine  and  verify  these 
licenses,  and  to  prevent  the  approach  of  all  vessels 
not  provided  with  them.  It  was  expressly  forbid- 
den to  every  one,  whether  soldiers  or  seamen,  be- 
longing to  the  missions  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
the  fishery,  —  a  regulation  which  excited  extreme 
discontent   at   the   time,    but  which   the   fathers   had 

*  Venegas. 

F2 


68  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

the  power  to  get  fully  carried  into  effect.  Their 
reason  for  debarring  their  people  from  this  trade 
was  their  conviction,  founded  on  experience,  that, 
if  permitted,  it  would  not  only  seduce  them  from 
their  proper  duties  in  the  missions,  but  would  in- 
evitably lead  to  the  oppression  of  their  children  the 
Indians,  as  they  termed  them. 

At  the  period  of  these  regulations,  —  at  the  very 
commencement  of  the  seventeenth  century,  —  the 
revenue  to  the  crown  was  not  inconsiderable,  as 
the  king's  share  (a  fifth)  amounted  to  no  less  than 
12,000  dollars  per  annum  for  every  bark  employed. 
After  the  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits,  the  trade  seems 
to  have  declined  greatly,  partly,  no  doubt,  from  the 
exhaustion  of  the  oyster-beds,  but  partly,  also,  from 
the  mismanagement  of  the  whole  system  adopted 
in   its   prosecution. 

When  the  pearl-fishery  was  prosecuted  to  its 
greatest  extent,  from  six  to  eight  hundred  Indian 
divers,  called  ' '  busos, ' '  were  employed.  It  was  car- 
ried on  by  small  vessels,  of  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
tons  burden,  which  were  fitted  out  by  private 
adventurers,  and  carried  each  from  thirty  to  fifty 
divers.  The  owners  accompanied  the  vessels,  and 
carried  with  them  provisions  for  the  people,  and  a 
little  money  to  advance  them  in  the  course  of  the 
season.  The  place  of  fitting  out  was  at  the  port  of 
Guaymas,   on  the   opposite   coast,   and,   when   ready, 


LOWER     CALIFORNIA  69 

they  had  to  procure  a  license  from  the  commandant- 
general  of  the  province  of  Sonora,  in  which  that 
port  is  situated.  Being  so  provided,  they  made  sail 
for  the  coast  of  California,  and  cast  anchor  on  such 
banks  as  contained  pearl-oysters,  which  banks  are 
called  "  placeres. "  The  whole  fishery,  however, 
was  not  anciently  carried  on  by  vessels  of  the  size 
above  mentioned,  and  perhaps  decked  vessels  were 
not  at  all  then  employed.  The  armadores  went 
in  launches,  and  the  divers  used  canoes,  bringing 
the  oysters  on  shore  for  the  purpose  of  opening 
them.  This  is  evident  from  the  large  heaps  of 
shells  yet  remaining  in  many  spots.  Numerous 
canoes  are  still  attached  to  the  larger  vessels  em- 
ployed  at   the   present   time. 

The  manner  of  carrying  on  the  fishery  was  as  fol- 
lows. The  vessel  being  anchored  and  everything 
ready,  the  divers  plunged  down  in  all  directions, 
and  dug  up  with  a  sharp-pointed  stick  as  many 
oysters  as  possible  while  they  could  remain  under 
water ;  they  then  came  up,  took  breath,  and  at  the 
same  time  deposited  the  oysters  in  bags  hung  over 
the  vessel's  sides.  Having  done  this,  they  again 
plunged  under  water,  repeating  the  same  operation 
till  the  bags  were  full,  or  the  usual  time  for  work- 
ing expired  ;  they  then  all  came  on  deck  with  the 
bags,  and  placed  themselves  in  a  circle  round  the- 
owner,   or,   as   he   was   called,   the  "armador,"  who 


70  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

took  the  contents  of  the  whole  bags,  and  made  a 
division  as  follows :  two  oysters  for  the  armador, 
two  for  the  busos,  and  one  for  the  king,  —  proceed- 
ing in  this  way  till  the  whole  of  the  oysters  were 
disposed  of.  When  this  operation  was  concluded, 
they  all  began  to  open  the  oysters,  beginning  with 
those  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  armador,  but  with- 
out moving  from  the  circle  which  they  had  formed 
round  him,  and  he  had  then  to  watch  with  the 
utmost  vigilance,  for  they  had  a  dexterous  knack 
of  swallowing  the  most  valuable  pearls  along  with 
the  live  oyster,  which  they  threw  into  their  mouths 
by  a  kind  of  sleight  of  hand,  which  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  detect.  The  king's  fifth  was  then 
opened  under  the  same  precautions,  and  the  pearls 
deposited  in  the  presence  of  all.  Lastly,  the  divers 
opened  their  own  oysters,  and  the  pearls  were 
equally  divided  amongst  them,  and  generally  sold 
on  the  instant  to  the  armador,  to  whom  they  were 
always  indebted  for  their  outfit  and  for  previous 
advances.  They,  however,  never  failed  to  reserve 
some,  which  they  sold  to  the  dealers  on  shore,  who 
always  accompanied  the  busos,  and  who  often  made 
more  money  than  the  armadores.  Those  dealers 
carried  with  them  spirituous  liquors,  chocolate, 
sugar,  cigars,  and  other  cheap  articles,  of  which  the 
Indians  are  passionately  fond,  and  for  which  they 
often   exchanged   pearls   of   great   value. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  71 

The  season  for  carrying  on  the  fishery  is  from 
the  beginning  of  July  till  the  beginning  of  October. 
The  exact  value  of  pearls  produced  while  this  busi- 
ness was  prosperous  cannot  be  now  easily  ascer- 
tained. It  has  been  variously  estimated.  From 
documents  supplied  to  Mr.  Hardy  in  1825,  and  pub- 
lished in  his  Travels  in  Mexico,  it  is  stated,  on  the 
authority  of  Don  Jose  Maria  Retes,  that  the  num- 
ber of  vessels  employed  annually  on  the  fishery  of 
Loreto  was  from  six  to  eight,  and  the  quantity  of 
pearls  from  four  to  five  pounds  weight,  worth  from 
8  to  10,000  dollars.  Captain  John  Hall,  an  experi- 
enced navigator  and  trader  in  these  seas,  gives  us 
some  valuable  information  on  this  subject,  about 
the  same  date.  A  letter  of  his  is  published  in 
Mr.  Hardy's  Travels;  but  we  have  obtained  much 
further  information  from  him  on  this  and  other 
matters  touching  California.  He  gives  a  somewhat 
different  version  of  the  mode  of  proceeding  in  the 
distribution  of  the  oysters  in  the  year  1825.  He 
says,  "  Every  time  the  diver  comes  up,  the  largest 
oysters  which  he  may  bring  with  him  are  placed 
on  one  side  for  the  Virgin.  All  the  rest  are  then 
thrown  into  a  large  pile,  and  in  the  evening  they 
are  divided  thus :  eight  shells  are  put  on  one  side  for 
the  owners,  eight  on  the  other  for  the  divers,  and 
two  in  a  third  heap  for  the  government."  It  would 
thus  appear  that  the  present   ruling  powers  are  con- 


72  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

tented  with  one  half  the  share  of  their  predeces- 
sors. It  is,  however,  somewhat  curious,  in  these 
times,  that  the  Virgin  should  retain  her  full  privi- 
leges, if  not  an  augmentation  of  them.  Mr. 
Hardy  says  that  about  sixteen  or  eighteen  small 
vessels  are  annually  employed  in  the  fishery,  and 
obtain,  when  the  weather  has  been  favorable  and 
the  divers  fortunate,  about  500  dollars'  worth  of 
pearls  each,  —  sometimes  as  much  as  1,000  dollars. 
He  adds,  however,  that  the  expense  of  the  fitting 
out  and  other  contingencies  reduce  the  net  profits 
to  the  proprietors  very  considerably.*  The  follow- 
ing statement,  kindly  furnished  me  by  a  friend  who 
resides  on  the  spot,  will  show  the  extent  and  value 
of  this  fishery  in  the  year  1831. 

This  year,  two  vessels  sailed  on  the  pearl-fishery 
from  the  port  of  Guaymas,  and  other  two  from  the 
river  Yaqui,  in  its  vicinity,  as  also  two  boats.  The 
whole  carried  two  hundred  busos.  The  largest  ves- 
sel had  seventy;  the  next,  fifty;  the  third,  thirty; 
the  fourth,  also  thirty  ;  and  the  boats,  ten  each. 
One  vessel  brought  forty  ounces  of  pearls,  great 
and  small,  which  were  valued  at  6,500  dollars ; 
another,  twenty- one  ounces,  valued  at  3,000  dollars  ; 
another,  fifteen  ounces,  valued  at  1,800  dollars;  and 
the  fourth,  twelve  ounces,  valued  at  2,000  dollars ; 
—  making    the    value,    exclusive   of    the    two    boats, 

*  Travels    in    Mexico,  p.   238. 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  73 

amount  to  13,300  dollars,  or  about  two  thousand  six 
hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  sterling. 

It  has  always  been  the  popular  opinion  among 
the  Spaniards  that  there  were  immensely  rich  banks 
of  pearl-oysters  on  the  shores  of  an  island  near 
the  head  of  the  gulf,  called  Tiburon,  but  that  its 
inhabitants,  who  use  poisoned  arrows,  were  of  such  a 
savage  disposition  that  no  one  could  approach  it  with- 
out being  sacrificed.  This  originated  in,  or  at  least 
was  confirmed  by,  the  circumstance  of  some  people 
being  killed  near  it,  and,  in  consequence,  the  king 
of  Spain,  whose  laws  seemed  always  to  be  made  on 
the  supposition  that  none  of  his  subjects  had  the 
power  to  risk  his  own  life,  or  the  common  sense  to 
judge  when  it  was  in  danger,  decreed  that  no  one 
should  hereafter  approach  that  island  for  any  pur- 
pose or  on  any  pretext  whatever.  This  interdict 
has  been  to  the  present  time  strictly  obeyed ;  and 
although  the  Mexican  republicans  have  thrown  off 
the  Spanish  dominion,  yet  the  dominion  of  early 
prejudice  is  not  so  easily  got  rid  of,  and  conse- 
quently the  island  of  Tiburon  is  still  considered  by 
the  Mexican  Spaniards  as  equally  rich  and  perilous 
as  heretofore,  although  recent  visitors,  and  among 
others  Mr.  Hardy,  have  proved  the  risk  and  the 
riches   to   be   equally   apocryphal. 

The  most  remarkable  incident  in  the  recent  his- 
tory  of   the    pearl-fishery   of    California    is    the    fact 


74  LOWER    CALIFORNIA 

of  an  association  having  been  formed  in  London,  in 
the  year  1824  or  1825,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
prosecuting  it,  under  a  new  and  improved  system. 
The  new  company  was  termed  the  ' '  Pearl  and  Coral 
Fishery  Association,"  and  great  expectations  were 
entertained  from  the  activity  of  the  director,  Lieut. 
Hardy,  R.  N.,  and  the  use  of  a  diving-bell  with  which 
he  was  furnished.  The  employment  of  the  diving- 
bell  certainly,  at  first  sight,  seems  to  hold  out  a  great 
prospect  of  success  ;  and  we  learn  from  Humboldt 
that,  long  before  the  formation  of  this  association, 
the  same  idea  was  entertained  by  the  Mexicans 
themselves,  and  a  project  of  this  kind  was  started 
in  1803,  by  an  ecclesiastic  residing  at  the  City  of 
Mexico.  He  conceived,  that,  as  the  busos  (divers) 
lose  much  time,  and  also  injure  their  health,  in  their 
repeated  descents  and  ascents,  there  would  be  im- 
mense benefits  derived  from  taking  advantage  of 
the  facilities  afforded  by  the  diving-bell  for  explor- 
ing the  depths  of  the  ocean.  Furnished  with  a 
mask  and  a  flexible  tube,  the  diver,  he  conceived, 
would  be  enabled  to  explore  not  merely  the  space 
immediately  below  the  bell,  but  all  around  it,  as  far 
as  the  length  of  the  tube  would  permit.  This  tube 
was  connected  with  the  body  of  the  bell,  which  not 
only  acted  as  a  reservoir  for  the  supply  of  air,  but 
also  as  a  place  of  refuge  or  resort  when  the  diver 
was     exhausted.      Humboldt     says     that     he    saw    a 


LOWER    CALIFORNIA  75 

number  of  experiments  made  with  this  apparatus 
in  a  small  lake  or  pond  near  the  castle  of  Chapul- 
tepec,  and  remarks  that  it  was,  no  doubt,  the  first 
time  a  diving-bell  was  constructed  at  a  height  of 
upwards  of  7,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

It  would  appear  that,  subsequently,  the  priest,  the 
maker  of  this  diving-bell  (which  was  made  of  wood), 
proceeded  to  California,  and  was  reported  to  have 
realized,  by  means  of  it,  a  large  fortune  in  a  short 
period.  We  have,  however,  no  authentic  accounts 
of  the  expedition.  The  diving-bell  of  the  London 
association  was,  we  believe,  not  a  whit  more  advan- 
tageous to  the  progress  of  pearl  -  fishing,  or  to  the 
shareholders  in  London,  than  was  that  of  the 
good  padre,  even  if  it  had  never  left  its  native 
pond  at  Chapultepec.  Some  very  ineffectual  at- 
tempts seem  to  have  been  made,  but  not  at  all  of 
a  kind  to  decide  the  impracticability  of  such  a  plan 
of  fishing,  and  we  believe  we  may  safely  say  that 
this  problem  remains  still  to  be  solved. 


PART    II 
UPPER    CALIFORNIA 


CHAPTER    I 

FIRST    SETTLEMENT     OF     UPPER     CALIFORNIA    BY    THE 

FRANCISCANS.  —  HISTORY     OF    THE     MISSIONS    TO     THE 

DEATH     OF     FATHER     SERRA 

New  OR  Upper  California  was  discovered  about  the 
year  1542,  by  Juan  Rodriguez  Cabrillo,  a  Spanish 
navigator,  and  the  coast  explored  by  him  (or  by  his 
pilot,  after  his  death)  as  far  north  as  43°  or  44°  N. 
lat.  Part  of  the  same  coast,  as  formerly  stated,  was 
visited  by  Sir  Francis  Drake  in  1578.  He  did  not, 
however,  touch  so  far  to  the  southward  as  the  coun- 
try now  called  California,  although  the  whole  of 
this  coast  has  generally  been  called  New  Albion, 
the  name  given  to  it  by  Sir  Francis.  In  1582,  the 
same  coast  was  visited  by  Francisco  Gali,  and  was, 
as  we  have  already  seen,  more  fully  explored  in 
1603  by  Sebastian  Vizcaino.  Captain  Cook's  discov- 
eries did  not  reach  so  far  to  the  southward  as  even 
Drake's,  but  the  whole  of  the  coast  has  been  since 
visited  and  fully  explored  by  other  European  navi- 
gators, besides  Spaniards.  The  most  distinguished 
of   these,  and   who   have  4)ublished   accounts   of   the 

79 


80  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

country,  are,  Laperouse,  in  1786;  Vancouver,  in  1792; 
Langsdorff,  in  1805  ;  and  Beechey,  in  1826.  All  of 
these  found  the  country  completely  settled  by  the 
Spaniards ;  and  it  is  the  object  of  the  present  chap- 
ter to  give  an  account  of  how  this  settlement  was 
first  effected.  On  this  occasion,  as  in  the  case  of 
Old  California,  I  shall  also  avail  myself  of  the  infor- 
mation supplied  by  an  old  Spanish,  or  rather  Mexi- 
can, chronicler  ;  and  here  my  authority  is  Father 
Francisco  Paloii,  one  of  the  original  missionaries, 
and  subsequently  principal  of  the  convent  of  San 
Fernando,  in  Mexico.  The  work  of  Father  Palou 
was  published  in  Mexico,  in  1787.  It  gives  a  most 
minute  account  of  the  settlement,  under  the  name  of 
**A  Life  of  the  Chief  Missionary  Father  Junipero 
Serra." 

The  expulsion  of  the  Jesuits  from  Lower  Califor- 
nia in  1767  seems  to  have  attracted  public  attention 
more  strongly  to  the  countries  of  which  it  forms  a 
part,  and  led  to  the  determination  of  settling  and 
civilizing  the  upper  province.  In  the  year  fol- 
lowing, this  settlement  was  finally  resolved  on  by 
the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  the  Marques  de  Croix,  and, 
as  on  former  occasions,  the  enterprise  was  commit- 
ted to  the  care  of  the  priesthood.  Accordingly,  in 
1768,  Father  Junipero  Serra,  a  Franciscan  friar, 
was  nominated  missionary  president  of  Upper  Cali- 
fornia,  with  a  staff   of   sixteen   brothers   of   his   own 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  81 

order,  all  taken  from  the  convent  of  San  Fernando. 
Some  of  these  friars  were  destined  to  replace  the 
Jesuits  in  Lower  California,  and  the  remainder, 
together  with  their  chief,  to  proceed  to  the  '*  spir- 
itual conquest"  of  the  upper  province.  Before 
proceeding  with  the  detail  of  the  humble  proceed- 
ings of  these  good  men,  I  would  warn  the  reader 
here,  as  in  the  case  of  Lower  California,  that  if 
he  is  prepared  to  estimate  the  importance  of  the 
history  only  according  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
events  or  the  dignity  of  the  actors,  he  had  better 
pass  over  the  following  narrative.  To  those,  how- 
ever, who  look  below  the  surface  of  things,  and 
who,  in  the  pages  of  history,  regard  more  the  springs 
of  action,  the  motives  and  conduct  of  the  agents, 
than  the  grandeur  of  the  results,  and  who  study  the 
influence  of  progressive  events,  however  small,  on 
the  happiness  of  communities,  "the  short  and  simple 
annals"  which  I  am  about  to  trace  will  not  be 
devoid  of  interest. 

The  father- president  having  arrived  at  San  Bias 
in  the  month  of  February,  1768,  with  his  sixteen 
missionaries,  they  there  met  an  equal  number  of 
Jesuits  who  had  arrived  from  Lower  California, 
whom  they  were  to  replace,  and  on  the  12th  March 
they  sailed  for  Loreto,  in  the  same  vessel  which 
brought   the   Jesuits.     '*This   seraphic   and   apostolic 

6  G 


82  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

squadron  (as  Father  Paloii  calls  it),  headed  by  the 
venerable  Father  Junipero  Serra,"  arrived  at  their 
destination,  all  well,  on  the  first  of  April,  and  dis- 
persed themselves,  each  to  his  respective  mission,  to 
wait  the  arrival  of  the  "  visitador  -  general, "  Don 
Jose  Galvez,  who  was  soon  to  follow  them.  He 
arrived,  and  embarked  at  San  Bias  on  the  24th  of 
May  following,  but  experienced  such  a  bad  voyage 
that  he  did  not  arrive  at  La  Paz  till  the  sixth  of 
July,  having  been  unable  to  make  Loreto.  Galvez 
not  only  brought  orders  to  visit  the  missions  of 
Lower  California,  but  also  a  royal  order  to  superin- 
tend the  expeditions  to  be  dispatched  for  Monterey 
and  San  Diego,  in  Upper  California.  Accordingly, 
after  examining  the  situation  of  the  different  mis- 
sions in  Lower  California,  and  particularly  those  on 
its  northern  frontier,  the  visitador  thought  the  best 
mode  of  putting  the  orders  of  the  King  into  execu- 
tion would  be  to  add  to  the  projected  expedition  by 
sea,  another  by  land,  which,  setting  off  at  the  same 
time,  might  join  at  San  Diego,  and  there  make  the 
first  establishrnent.  This  plan  he  communicated  to 
the  father- president,  who  fully  approved  of  it,  and 
offered  to  hold  himself  and  a  competent  number  of 
his  brother  missionaries  ready  when  required.  It 
was  subsequently  determined  that  three  missions 
should  be  formed  in  Upper  California ;    viz. ,  one  at 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  83 

the  port  of  Monterey,  another  at  the  port  of  San 
Diego,  and  a  third  between  those  two  ports,  to  be 
called   San    Buenaventura. 

Soon  afterwards,  two  of  the  three  packet-boats 
destined  for  this  expedition  arrived  from  San  Bias, — 
one  called  the  San  Carlos,  and  the  other  the  San 
Antonio.  The  former  vessel  having  been  put  in  a 
state  fit  for  sea,  the  provisions  and  stores  which  had 
been  brought  from  San  Bias  were  put  on  board,  as 
well  as  those  collected  in  La  Paz.  There  were  also 
put  on  board  agricultural  implements,  various  seeds, 
both  of  Old  and  New  Spain,  and  such  other  neces- 
saries as  could  be  procured,  and  which  they  thought 
would  be  useful  in  the  new  country.  It  was  at 
the  same  time  resolved  that  the  land  expedition 
should  take  two  hundred  head  of  black  cattle  from 
the  most  northerly  of  the  missions  of  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, in  order  to  stock  the  new  establishments 
with  that  useful  animal,  and  to  enable  them  to  cul- 
tivate the  soil. 

The  San  Carlos  being  ready,  the  visitador-general 
fixed  the  day  of  her  departure,  and  ordered  that 
all  should  prepare  themselves  by  means  of  the  holy 
sacrament.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  the  rev- 
erend father- president,  after  saying  the  mass  "  de 
rogativa "  to  the  most  holy  patriarch  San  Jose 
(whom  they  named  patron  of  all  the  expeditions 
by  sea  and  land),  blessed  the  vessel  and  colors,  and 

G2 


84  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

gave  his  benediction  to  all  the  people.  The  visi- 
tador  then  pronounced  a  long  discourse,  and,  every- 
thing being  embarked,  they  set  sail  on  the  9th  day 
of  January,  1769. 

There  were  embarked  in  this  vessel  her  com- 
mander, Don  Vicente  Vila,  twenty- five  soldiers  of 
the  Catalonian  volunteers,  with  the  Lieutenant  Don 
Pedro  Prat,  surgeon  in  the  royal  navy,  with  a  suffi- 
cient crew,  and  corresponding  number  of  officers, 
accompanied,  for  their  spiritual  consolation,  by  the 
Father- Friar  Fernando  Parron.  The  San  Antonio 
not  having  got  higher  up  than  Cape  San  Lucas,  the 
visitador  proceeded  there  on  the  sailing  of  the  San 
Carlos  ;  and  having  examined  and  repaired  her  also, 
everything  was  embarked,  and  she  made  sail  on 
the  15th  of  February  of  the  same  year.  Her  com- 
mander was  Don  Juan  Perez,  an  able  navigator, 
brought  up  in  the  Philippine  trade.  In  her  also  went 
two  father- missionaries.  Friar  Juan  Vizcaino  and 
Friar  Francisco  Gomez.  The  third  vessel  was  called 
the  San  Jose,  and  was  dispatched  from  Loreto  on 
the  16th  of  June,  the  same  year.  Her  commander's 
name  is  not  known,  and  the  friar  that  was  to 
have  proceeded  with  her  fell  sick,  so  that  none  of 
the  missionaries  were  on  board. 

The  fate  of  these  vessels  proves  the  deplorable 
state  of  navigation  among  the  Spaniards  in  those 
seas  at  this  period.      The  San  Carlos  arrived  at  San 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  85 

Diego  on  the  first  of  May,  and  lost  the  whole  of  the 
people  by  the  scurvy,  thirst,  and  hunger,  except  the 
officers,  the  cook,  and  one  seaman.  The  San  An- 
tonio, although  she  sailed  five  weeks  later,  arrived 
on  the  eleventh  of  April,  but  lost  eight  of  her  crew 
by  scurvy.  The  San  Jose  was  never  heard  of  after 
her   leaving   Loreto. 

The  land  expedition  was  set  about  with  all  pos- 
sible activity,  and  it  appears  that  those  worthy 
fathers  and  visitadores  not  only  took  their  divinity 
from  the  Bible,  but  their  military  tactics  also,  for 
Father  Paloii  relates,  "that,  considering  the  land 
expedition  not  less  arduous  and  dangerous  than  that 
by  sea,  owing  to  the  many  savage  and  depraved 
tribes  through  which  they  had  to  pass,  it  was  re- 
solved, in  imitation  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  to  divide 
it  into  two  companies,  in  order  that  if  one  was 
unfortunate,   the   other   might   be   saved." 

Don  Caspar  de  Portola,  captain  of  dragoons,  was 
appointed  governor  of  California,  and  commander 
of  the  land  expeditions;  Captain  Fernando  Rivera  y 
Moncada  was  nominated  his  second,  and  appointed 
to  proceed  with  the  first  division.  The  governor 
was  to  follow  with  the  second.  Captain  Rivera  y 
Moncada  and  his  people  left  Santa  Ana,  in  Lower 
California,  in  the  month  of  September,  1768,  and, 
after  a  short  time,  arrived  at  the  village  of  Nuestra 
Senora    de    los    Angeles,    which    is    on    the    Indian 


86  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

frontier,  and  where  they  met  part  of  the  baggage 
which  had  been  sent  in  launches  to  the  Bay  of 
San  Luis.  Having  examined  the  country,  and 
found  it  incapable  of  maintaining  even  the  cattle, 
from  its  entire  want  of  pasture,  they  proceeded 
farther  into  the  Indian  territory,  and  at  the  distance 
of  eighteen  leagues,  in  the  direction  of  San  Diego, 
they  found  a  place  suited  to  their  wants.  The 
whole  caravan  was  accordingly  conducted  thither. 
From  this  place  the  commander  gave  notice  to  the 
visitador,  who  was  then  in  the  south  fitting  out 
the  vessels,  that  in  the  month  of  March  he  expected 
to  be  ready  to  continue  [on]  his  route.  Accordingly, 
they  left  this  place,  called  by  the  natives  Velicata, 
and  proceeded  on  their  destination  on  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  March,  1769.  This  division  consisted  of 
its  commander,  Rivera  y  Moncada,  Father  Crespi, 
a  midshipman,  twenty -five  soldiers,  three  mule- 
teers, and  a  number  of  converted  Indians  as  ser- 
vants or  assistants  to  the  muleteers  and  for  other 
purposes  ;  they  were  armed  with  bows  and  arrows. 
After  having  passed  fifty-four  days  on  their  march 
without  experiencing  anything  remarkable,  they 
arrived  at  the  port  of  San  Diego  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  May,  when  they  found  at  anchor  the  San 
Carlos   and   San   Antonio. 

The    mules,    horses,    black    cattle,    muleteers,    and 
baggage,    which     were    to    accompany    the     second 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  87 

division  being  collected  at  Velicata,  the  governor 
and  the  father- president  arrived  there  on  the 
thirteenth  of  May.  Being  detained  some  time 
waiting  the  arrival  of  troops  and  necessaries,  they 
took  the  opportunity  to  examine  the  neighborhood, 
and  finding  it  superior  to  that  of  another  mission 
not  very  distant,  called  San  Francisco  de  Borja,  and 
considering  that  it  would  be  well  calculated  for  a 
point  of  communication  between  Upper  and  Lower 
California,  they  resolved  on  removing  the  mission  to 
that  place. 

Father  Paloii  thus  describes  the  ceremony  of 
taking  possession :  ' '  This  being  determined  on,  and 
the  day  following  being  the  fourteenth  of  May,  the 
first  of  the  Pascua  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  they  imme- 
diately set  about  taking  possession  of  the  soil  in  the 
name  of  our  Catholic  monarch,  and  thus  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  mission.  The  soldiers,  muleteers, 
and  servants  set  about  clearing  away  a  place  which 
was  to  serve  as  a  temporary  church,  hanging  the 
bells,  and  forming  a  grand  cross.  On  the  day 
following,  they  commenced  the  foundation.  The 
venerable  father- president,  being  invested  with  the 
capa  and  alba  pluvial,  blessed  the  holy  water,  and 
with  this  the  site  of  the  church,  and  then  the  holy 
cross,  which,  being  adorned  as  usual,  was  planted  in 
front  of  the  church.  The  patron  named  for  this 
church,    and   of    the   whole    mission,    was   San    Fer- 


88  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

nando,  the  same  name  as  that  of  our  college  in 
Mexico.  Having  chanted  the  first  mass,  the  ven- 
erable president  pronounced  a  most  fervent  dis- 
course on  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the 
establishment  of  the  mission.  The  sacrifice  of  the 
mass  being  concluded,  the  Veni  Creator  was  then 
sung,  the  want  of  an  organ  and  other  musical 
instruments  being  (says  Father  Palou)  supplied  by 
the  continual  discharge  of  the  fire-arms  during  the 
ceremony,  and  the  want  of  incense,  of  which  they 
had  none,  by  the  smoke  of  the  muskets  ! 

The  second  division,  commanded  by  the  Governor 
Portola,  and  accompanied  by  the  president,  com- 
menced its  march  from  Velicata  on  the  fifteenth  of 
May,  1769.  They  followed  the  track  of  the  Jesuit 
Wenceslaus  Link,  who  went,  three  years  before,  tow- 
ards the  Rio  Colorado,  to  a  place  which  he  called 
Cieneguilla,  distant  from  the  new  mission  of  San 
Fernando  Velicata  twenty- five  leagues  northward. 
From  this  place  they  pursued  the  same  direction, 
with  the  view  of  finding  the  mouth  of  the  Rio 
Colorado,  but  they  were  unable  to  arrive  at  it,  on 
account  of  a  rocky  and  steep  mountain,  which  they 
reached  after  a  few  days,  over  which  their  cattle 
could  not  pass.     This  obliged  them  to  return  to  the 

[San  Francisco  de  Borja] 

frontier  mission  of  San  Borja,  from  which  the  expe- 
dition of  Link  had  set  out.  They  now  changed  their 
route    to    the     northwest,    and,    approximating     the 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  89 

coast  of  the  Pacific,  were  soon  enabled  to  find  the 
port  of  which  they  were  in  search,  and  where  they 
arrived  on  the  first  day  of  July,  having  spent  forty- 
six  days  on  their  journey. 

The  following  letter,  written  by  the  president  to 
his  future  biographer.  Father  Paloii,  will  serve  to 
explain  their  situation  and  views  after  they  reached 
San  Diego. 

"My  dear  Friend  and  Sir, — Thank  God,  I  arrived 
the  day  before  yesterday,  the  first  of  the  month,  at 
this  port  of  San  Diego,  truly  a  fine  one,  and  with 
reason  called  famous.  Here  I  found  those  who  had 
set  off  before  me,  both  by  sea  and  land,  except  those 
who  have  died.  The  brethren  Fathers  Crespi,  Viz- 
caino, Parron,  Gomez,  are  here,  and,  with  myself, 
all  well,  thanks  be  to  God.  Here  are  also  the  two 
vessels,  but  the  San  Carlos  without  sailors,  all  having 
died  of  the  scurvy,  except  two.  The  San  Antonio, 
although  she  sailed  a  month  and  a  half  later, 
arrived  twenty  days  before  the  San  Carlos,  losing  on 
the  voyage  eight  sailors.  In  consequence  of  this  loss, 
it  has  been  resolved  that  the  San  Antonio  shall 
return  to  San  Bias  to  fetch  sailors  for  her  and  for 
the  San  Carlos.  The  causes  of  the  delay  of  the  San 
Carlos  were,  first,  lack  of  water,  owing  to  the  casks 
being  bad,  which,  together  with  bad  water  obtained 
on  the  coast,  occasioned  sickness  among  the  crew ; 
and   secondly,   the   error  which   all   were  in  respect- 


90  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

ing  the  situation  of  this  port.  They  supposed  it  to 
be  in  thirty-three  or  thirty-four  degrees  of  north  lati- 
tude, some  authors  saying  one,  some  the  other,  and 
strict  orders  were  given  to  Captain  Vila  and  the 
rest  to  keep  out  in  the  open  sea  till  they  should  ar- 
rive in  thirty-four  degrees,  and  then  make  the  shore 
in  search  of  the  port.  As,  however,  the  port,  in 
reality,  lies  in  32°  34',  according  to  the  observations 
which  have  now  been  made,  they  went  much  be- 
yond the  port,  thus  making  the  voyage  much  longer 
than  was  necessary.  The  people  got  daily  worse 
from  the  cold  and  the  bad  water,  and  they  must  all 
have  perished  if  they  had  not  discovered  the  port 
about  the  time  they  did,  for  they  were  quite  unable 
to  launch  the  boat  to  procure  more  water,  or  to 
do  anything  whatever  for  their  preservation.  The 
Father  Fernando  did  everything  in  his  power  to 
assist  the  sick,  and  although  he  arrived  much  re- 
duced in  flesh,  he  had  not  the  disorder,  and  is  now 
well.  We  have  not  suffered  hunger  nor  other  pri- 
vations, neither  have  the  Indians  who  came  with 
us ;  all  have  arrived  fat  and  healthy.  The  tract 
through  which  we  have  passed  is  generally  very 
good  land,  with  plenty  of  water,  and  there,  as  well 
as  here,  the  country  is  neither  rocky  nor  overcome 
with  brushwood.  There  are,  however,  many  hills, 
but  they  are  composed  of  earth.  The  road  has 
been  in  some  places  good,  but  the  greater  part   bad. 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  91 

About  half-way,  the  valleys  and  banks  of  rivulets 
began  to  be  delightful.  We  found  vines  of  a  large 
size,  and  in  some  cases  quite  loaded  with  grapes  ; 
we  also  found  abundance  of  roses,  which  appeared 
to  be  like  the  same  as  those  of  Castile.  In  fine,  it  is 
a  good  country,  and  very  different  from  that  of  Old 
California.  We  have  seen  Indians  in  immense 
numbers,  and  all  those  on  this  coast  of  the  Pacific 
contrive  to  make  a  good  subsistence  on  various 
seeds,  and  by  fishing.  This  they  carry  on  by 
means  of  rafts  or  canoes  made  of  tule  (bulrush), 
with  which  they  go  a  great  way  to  sea.  They 
are  very  civil.  All  the  males,  old  and  young, 
go  naked  ;  the  women,  however,  and  even  the 
female  children,  are  decently  covered  from  their 
breasts  downwards.  We  found,  in  our  journey, 
as  well  as  in  the  places  where  we  stopped,  that 
they  treated  us  with  as  much  confidence  and  peace 
as  if  they  had  known  us  all  their  lives  ;  but  when 
we  offered  them  any  of  our  victuals,  they  always 
refused  them.  All  they  cared  for  was  cloth,  and 
only  for  something  of  this  sort  would  they  exchange 
their  fish  or  whatever  else  they  had.  During  the 
whole  march  we  found  hares,  rabbits,  some  deer, 
and  a  multitude  of  berendos  (a  kind  of  wild  goat). 
I  pray  God  may  preserve  your  health  and  life  many 
years. 

"From    this    port    and    intended    mission   of   San 


92  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Diego,  in  northern  California,  3rd  July,  1769.  I  kiss 
the  hands  of  your  reverence,  and  am  your  affection- 
ate brother  and  servant,     (<t?      t      ^  c  >> 

TR.    JUNfPERO     OERRA. 

In  consequence  of  what  had  before  been  deter- 
mined on,  the  San  Antonio  was  dispatched  on  the 
9th  July  to  San  Bias,  under  the  command  of  Perez, 
with  what  was  reckoned  a  sufficient  crew,  but  she 
arrived  at  that  port  with  very  few  people,  nine 
having  died  in  the  course  of  the  voyage.  It  was 
now  resolved  that  the  principal  part  of  the  united 
expedition  commanded  by  the  governor  should 
proceed  overland  from  San  Diego  to  the  north- 
ward, to  discover  and  settle  the  port  of  Monterey, 
and  that  the  father -president  should  remain  with 
two  of  the  missionaries  and  eight  soldiers.  The 
fathers  Juan  Crespi  and  Francisco  Gomez  were 
named  by  him  to  accompany  the  expedition.  The 
fourteenth  day  of  July  was  fixed  on  for  the  depart- 
ure of  this  expedition,  and  the  following  persons 
nominated  for  the  same :  Don  Caspar  Portola,  com- 
mander-in-chief, with  one  servant;  the  two  fathers 
before  named,  with  two  converted  Indians  of  Lower 
California  for  their  service ;  Don  Fernando  Rivera 
y  Moncada,  second  in  command,  with  a  sergeant 
and  twenty-six  soldiers  of  his  company;  Don  Pedro 
Fages,  lieutenant  of  the  Catalonia  company,  with 
seven  of  his  soldiers  who  remained  fit  for  the  march; 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  93 

Don  Miguel  Costanso,  engineer,  and  seven  mule- 
teers, and  fifteen  Indians  of  Lower  California,  to 
assist  in  conducting  the  mules  with  the  provisions 
and   baggage. 

This  expedition,  after  having  been  absent  six 
months,  returned  to  San  Diego  without  finding  the 
port  of  Monterey,  or  at  least  what  they  considered 
to  be  such,  judging  from  the  description  given  of  it 
by  Sebastian  Vizcaino,  although,  in  fact,  they  had 
visited  this  bay,  but  considered  that  it  was  either  a 
different  place  or  that  the  port  had  been  filled  up 
with  sand.  They  proceeded  on  to  the  northward 
till  they  discovered  the  fine  harbor  now  called  San 
Francisco,  to  which  they  were  induced  to  give  that 
name  from  the  following  circumstances.  When 
the  president  left  Lower  California,  he  took  his 
orders  from  the  visitador- general  respecting  the 
names  of  the  new  missions,  and  the  patrons  to  be 
assigned  them;  but  observing  that  he  did  not  point 
out  any  one  which  was  to  be  that  of  the  founder  of 
the  order,  he  exclaimed,  "And  is  our  Father  San 
Francisco  to  have  no  mission  assigned  to  him?" 
The  visitador  replied,  "  If  San  Francisco  wishes  to 
have  a  mission,  let  him  show  you  a  good  port,  and 
then  let  it  bear  his  name."  The  friars  who  accom- 
panied the  Monterey  expedition,  as  well  as  its  com- 
mander, on  seeing  the  fine  bay  at  which  they  had 
arrived,  exclaimed,  "This  is  the  port  to  which  the 


94  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

visitador  referred,  and  to  which  the  saint  has  led 
us,"  and  immediately  called  it  the  Bay  of  San  Fran- 
cisco. They  then  set  up  a  cross,  took  possession, 
and  proceeded  on  their  return  to  San  Diego,  where 
they  arrived  on  the  24th  January,   1770. 

Whilst  the  governor  and  his  companions  were 
absent  on  the  discovery  of  Monterey,  the  president 
was  not  idle  at  San  Diego.  His  proceedings  are 
thus  described  by  his  historian.  Father  Paloii  : 
''The  zeal  which  burned  in  the  breast  of  our  ven- 
erable Father  Junipero  did  not  permit  him  to  forget 
the  principal  object  of  his  coming,  and  on  the 
16th  day  of  July  he  commenced  the  foundation  of 
the  mission  by  chanting  a  mass,  and  performing 
the  other  ceremonies  which  are  expressed  in  the 
treaty  of  foundation  of  that  of  San  Fernando.  On 
this  day  the  Spaniards  are  accustomed  to  celebrate 
the  triumph  of  the  Holy  Cross,  and  it  was  hoped 
that  as  by  that-  sacred  signal  they  obtained,  on  this 
same  day  in  the  year  1212,  the  famous  victory  over 
the  barbarous  Mohammedans,  they  might  obtain,  by 
erecting  the  same  standard,  the  discomfiture  of  the 
infernal  army,  and  be  enabled  to  subject  to  the  easy 
yoke  of  our  holy  faith  the  barbarous  gentiles  who 
inhabit  this  California. 

''Having  dedicated  one  of  the  huts  which  they  had 
erected,  as  a  church,  they  endeavored,  by  presents 
and    affectionate    expressions,    to    bring    the    natives 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  95 

towards  it,  who  came  within  sight ;  but  they  paid 
no  attention  to  anything,  except  to  receive  what- 
ever was  offered  them,  except  provisions  ;  but  on 
no  account  would  they  touch  any  of  our  victuals, 
and  on  a  bit  of  meat  being  forced  into  a  child's 
mouth,  it  spit  it  out  as  if  it  had  been  poison.  This 
circumstance  was  considered  as  a  miracle  from 
Heaven  ;  for  if  they  had  been  as  desirous  of  provis- 
ions as  they  were  of  cloth,  they  would  have  left  the 
strangers  to  have  starved  of  hunger.  Their  desire 
for  all  sorts  of  cloth  was  extreme  ;  so  much  so,  that 
the  sails  of  the  vessel  in  the  bay  were  not  safe,  they 
having  gone  one  night  in  their  rush  canoes  and  cut 
a  large  piece  out  of  one  of  them.  At  length,  pre- 
cautions were  taken  to  prevent  like  acts ;  yet,  as  no 
punishment  was  inflicted,  they  proceeded  to  still 
greater  lengths,  and  stole  openly,  confiding  in  their 
numbers,  and  being  armed  with  bows  and  arrows, 
vt^ooden  swords  which  cut  like  steel,  and  clubs  which 
are  very  formidable.  And  now  finding  that  they 
were  opposed,  they  resolved  to  try  their  fortune, 
and,  by  taking  our  lives,  possess  themselves  of  all 
our  spoils.  This  they  attempted  to  do  on  the 
twelfth  and  thirteenth  of  August,  but  were  obliged 
to  retire.  On  the  fifteenth  of  this  month,  after  the 
Father  Fernando  had  gone  on  board  to  say  mass, 
with  two  soldiers,  four  only  remaining  on  shore,  and 
our    venerable    president    and    Father   Vizcaino    hav- 


96  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

ing  finished  mass  at  the  mission,  there  fell  upon 
them  a  great  number  of  Indians,  all  armed  for 
war,  who  began  to  rob  everything  they  could 
find,  taking  away  from  the  sick  even  their  sheets. 
The  corporal  immediately  called  out.  To  arms  ;  and 
when  they  saw  the  soldiers  putting  on  their  leather 
armor  and  taking  their  muskets,  they  retired  a 
little  and  began  to  shoot  their  arrows.  The  four 
soldiers,  the  carpenter,  and  the  blacksmith,  also 
commenced  firing  with  much  valor,  but  particu- 
larly the  blacksmith,  who,  although  he  had  not 
armor  to  defend  him,  advanced,  calling  out,  '  Long 
live  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  die  the  dogs  his 
enemies.'  Whilst  this  was  going  on,  the  father- 
president  with  his  companion  went  inside  the  house, 
recommending  all  to  God,  and  praying  that  there 
should  not  result  any  deaths  either  among  his  own 
people  or  among  the  gentiles,  and  that  the  souls 
of  the  latter  might  not  be  lost,  which  otherwise 
would   be   saved   by   future   baptism. 

*'The  war,  however,  still  continued,  accompanied 
by  the  terrible  yells  of  the  Indians,  when  a  boy 
called  Jose  came  running  in  great  haste,  and  pros- 
trated himself  at  the  feet  of  our  venerable  presi- 
dent, saying,  '  Father,  give  me  absolution,  for  the 
Indians  have  killed  me.'  The  good  father  absolved 
him,  and  he  died  immediately,  an  arrow  having 
passed   through   his   throat,  but   his   death   was   kept 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  97 

secret.  Of  the  Indians,  many  fell,  and  the  rest, 
seeing  the  destructive  effect  of  the  fire-arms,  retired, 
carrying  with  them  the  whole  of  their  dead  and 
wounded,  in  order  to  prevent  us  from  knowing  their 
loss.  They  were  enabled  to  conceal  the  deaths,  but 
the  number  of  wounded  was  soon  known,  because 
in  a  few  days  they  returned  in  peace,  requesting  to 
be  cured,  which  was  done  by  our  good  surgeon. 
This  charitable  conduct  on  our  part  caused  them  to 
be  somewhat  grateful,  and  the  sorrowful  experience 
of  their  unsuccessful  attack  created  fear  and  respect, 
which  made  them  deport  themselves  differently  from 
what  they  had  hitherto  done,  and  they  still  con- 
tinued to  resist  the  mission,  but  without  arms.  Of 
the  Christians,  four  were  wounded,  viz.,  the  Friar 
Vizcaino,  one  soldier,  an  Indian  of  California,  and 
the  valiant  blacksmith,  but  none  of  them  danger- 
ously, so  that  in  a  short  time  all  were  well,  and  the 
death  of  the  boy  was  concealed." 

The  following  narrative,  given  by  Father  Paloii, 
will  show  the  importance  the  missionaries  attached 
to  the  baptizing  of  the  Indians,  and  the  inconsola- 
ble disappointment  which  the  good  Father  Junipero 
suffered  by  the  caprice  of  the  parents  of  one  of  the 
children.  This  was  the  first  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Upper  California  who  had  submitted  to  this  cere- 
mony. 

"Of  those  who  came  oftenest  amongst  them  was  an 

7  H 


98  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Indian  of  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  who  seldom  let 
a  day  pass  without  coming,  and  he  at  last  was  in- 
duced to  eat  whatever  was  given  him,  without  any 
fear.  Our  Father  Junipero  had  a  great  desire  to 
encourage  him,  and  to  teach  him  something  of  the 
Spanish  language,  to  see  if  by  this  means  he  could 
accomplish  the  baptism  of  any  of  the  youths. 
After  some  time,  and  when  the  Indian  understood 
a  little  of  the  language,  the  venerable  father  desired 
him  to  try  if  he  could  bring  a  little  one,  with  con- 
sent of  its  parents,  to  become  a  Christian,  and  told 
him  to  inform  them,  that,  by  allowing  a  little  water 
to  be  put  upon  its  head,  it  would  become  a  son  of 
God  and  of  the  Father  Junipero,  and  also  be  of  the 
kindred  of  the  soldiers ;  that  it  would  be  clothed, 
and,  in  short,  be  equal  to  the  Spaniards.  The  young 
man  seemed  to  understand  what  was  said  to  him, 
and,  after  going  amongst  the  Indians,  returned,  ac- 
companied by  a  great  many,  one  of  whom  brought 
a  child  in  his  arms,  and  made  them  understand,  by 
signs,  that  he  wished  it  to  be  baptized.  Full  of  joy, 
our  venerable  father  gave  some  clothes  to  cover 
the  child,  asked  the  corporal  to  be  its  godfather, 
desired  the  soldiers  to  attend  the  celebration  of  this 
first  baptism,  and  also  ordered  that  all  the  Indians 
should  be  present.  When  the  president  had  finished 
the  previous  ceremonies,  and  was  about  to  pour 
the  water,   the   Indians   suddenly  snatched   away  the 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  99 

child,  and  immediately  miade  off  in  great  haste  for 
their  huts,  leaving  the  good  father  in  amazement, 
with  the  water  in  his  hands.  Here  (says  the  Father 
Palou)  all  his  prudence  was  necessary  to  enable  him 
to  hold  his  peace  under  such  a  gross  action,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  employ  all  his  influence  over  the 
soldiers  to  prevent  them  from  taking  vengeance  for 
the  affront,  but,  on  considering  the  barbarism  and 
ignorance  of  those  miserable  beings,  it  was  deemed 
necessary  to  dissemble  their  chagrin."  Father  Pa- 
loii  adds,  "that  the  feeling  of  the  venerable  father 
was  such,  seeing  the  baptism  of  this  child  so  frus- 
trated, that  for  many  days  the  sorrow  and  pain 
which  he  suffered  might  be  discovered  in  his  coun- 
tenance, his  reverence  attributing  the  conduct  of 
the  Indians  to  his  own  sins,  and  many  years  after- 
wards, when  he  related  this  circumstance,  he  had  to 
wipe  the  tears  from  his  eyes." 

The  country  at  this  time  did  not  furnish  them 
sufficient  provision  for  their  subsistence,  so  that 
they  had  to  depend  on  supplies  from  San  Bias,  to 
which  place  the  San  Antonio  had  been  sent,  but  as 
she  had  not  yet  made  her  appearance,  and  it  being 
apprehended  that  she  was  lost,  the  governor  ordered 
an  account  of  the  provisions  on  hand  to  be  taken, 
and  found  that  they  could  not  hold  out  longer  than 
to  the  month  of  March  following.  He,  in  conse- 
quence,   gave    notice    to    the    father  -  president    that 

H  2 


100  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

unless  the  vessel  arrived  with  provisions  by  St.  Jo- 
seph's Day  (the  twentieth  day  of  March),  the  whole 
expedition  would  set  out  on  their  return  by  land  for 
Old  California,  and  abandon  entirely  the  enterprise 
of  settling  the  new  country.  This  notice  afflicted 
the  good  Father  Junipero  in  the  most  sensible  man- 
ner, who,  according  to  his  biographer,  ''finding  no 
other  resource  but  in  God,  had  recourse  to  prayer, 
asking  in  the  most  earnest  manner  that  he  would 
have  compassion  on  so  many  gentiles  whom  they 
had  discovered,  and  not  allow  their  labors  to  be 
in  vain,  seeing  that  if  they  were  to  abandon  the 
present  enterprise,  the  conversion  of  those  Indians 
would  be  left  to  an  indefinite  time,  and  perhaps 
abandoned  forever.  At  the  same  time,  the  father 
fully  resolved  not  to  accompany  the  expedition  back, 
but  to  remain  with  some  of  his  companions,  and 
sacrifice  himself  for  the  love  of  God  and  for  the 
advancement  of  his  glory. ' '  The  eventful  day  at  last 
arrived,  and  was  celebrated  by  the  chanting  of  the 
mass,  and  by  every  other  mode  of  solemnizing  it 
which  their  circumstances  permitted.  The  father- 
president  preached  a  sermon,  and  every  preparation 
was  made  for  the  departure  of  the  expedition  the 
following  morning  ;  but  on  this  very  day  ( says 
Paloii )  "  God  was  pleased  to  satisfy  the  ardent 
desires  of  his  servant,  through  the  intercessions  of 
the   most    holy   patriarch,    and    gave    every   one   the 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  101 

consolation  to  perceive  clearly  and  distinctly  a  ves- 
sel," which,  however,  disappeared  next  day.  This 
sight  of  the  vessel  was  sufficient  to  delay  the  depart- 
ure of  the  expedition,  every  one  viewing  it  as  a 
miracle  of  the  patriarch  saint,  and  which  animated 
them  to  remain  some  time  longer,  not  doubting  that 
this  was,  if  not  the  San  Antonio  herself,  at  least  a 
sure  presage  of  her  speedy  arrival.  This,  in  effect, 
happened  four  days  after,  it  being  the  identical  San 
Antonio  which  was  seen  on  the  day  of  St.  Joseph, 
and  which  was  prevented  from  entering  the  harbor 
from  those  casualties  so  common  in  sea  voyages. 
The  father-president  made  a  vow  to  celebrate  this 
miracle  by  an  annual  mass  on  the  day  of  St.  Joseph, 
which  he  religiously  performed  to  the  end  of  his  life. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  San  Antonio,  which  brought 
a  supply  of  provisions,  it  was  determined  to  make 
another  effort  to  discover  Monterey,  for  which  pur- 
pose Father  Junipero  proceeded  by  sea,  in  the  San 
Antonio,  and  the  governor  by  land,  accompanied  by 
Father  Crespi.  Both  left  San  Diego  about  the 
middle  of  April,  1770,  and,  after  forty-six  days'  navi- 
gation, the  San  Antonio  anchored  in  the  Bay  of 
Monterey,  the  land  expedition  having  arrived  some 
days  before.  Nothing  can  show  more  strikingly  the 
backwardness  of  nautical  science  at  this  time  among 
the  Spanish  navigators,  than  the  fact  that  this  coast- 
ing voyage  of  a  few  degrees  took  up  forty-six  days ; 


102  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  the  present  day  it  would  be  no  miracle  for  a 
vessel  to  sail  between  San  Diego  and  China  in  the 
same   space   of   time. 

The  following  is  the  letter  of  the  president  to  Father 
Palou  on  taking  possession  of  the  future  capital  of 
the  dominions  over  which  he  was  to  preside. 

"My  dearest  Friend  and  Sir,  —  On  the  31st  day 
of  May,  by  the  favor  of  God,  after  rather  a  painful 
voyage  of  a  month  and  a  half,  this  packet  San  An- 
tonio, commanded  by  Don  Juan  Perez,  arrived  and 
anchored  in  this  horrible  port  of  Monterey,  which 
is  unaltered  in  any  degree  from  what  it  was  when 
visited  by  the  expedition  of  Don  Sebastian  Vizcaino 
in  the  year  1603.  It  gave  me  great  consolation  to 
find  that  the  land  expedition  had  arrived  eight  days 
before  us,  and  that  Father  Crespi  and  all  others 
were  in  good  health.  On  the  third  of  June,  being 
the  holy  day  of  Pentecost,  the  whole  of  the  officers 
of  sea  and  land,  and  all  the  people,  assembled  on  a 
bank  at  the  foot  of  an  oak,  where  we  caused  an  altar 
to  be  erected  and  the  bells  to  be  rung.  We  then 
chanted  the  Vent  Creator,  blessed  the  water, 
erected  and  blessed  a  grand  cross,  hoisted  the 
royal  standard,  and  chanted  the  first  mass  that  was 
ever  performed  in  this  place.  We  afterwards  sang 
the  Salve  to  Our  Lady,  before  an  image  of  the 
most  illustrious  Virgin,  which  occupied  the  altar ; 
and   at   the   same    time   I    preached   a   sermon,    con- 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  103 

eluding  the  whole  with  a  Te  Deum.  After  this,  the 
officers  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  the  King,  our  lord  (whom  God  preserve).  We 
then  all  dined  together  in  a  shady  place  on  the 
beach,  the  whole  ceremony  being  accompanied 
by  many  volleys  and  salutes  by  the  troops  and 
vessels. ' ' 

The  concluding  part  of  this  epistle  may  not  be 
thought  the  least  interesting,  as  it  will  show  that 
while  men  of  an  ordinary  education  would  only 
have  thought  of  their  own  personal  situation  and 
present  difficulties,  and  of  asking  for  assistance  to 
help  them  out  of  them,  the  pious  Franciscan  only 
meditated  on  popes,  saints,  and  calendars.  He  con- 
tinues :  "As  in  last  May  it  is  a  whole  year  since  I 
have  received  any  letter  from  a  Christian  country, 
your  reverence  may  suppose  in  what  want  we  are 
of  news ;  but,  for  all  that,  I  only  ask  you,  when  you 
can  get  an  opportunity,  to  inform  me  what  our  most 
holy  father  the  reigning  Pope  is  called,  that  I  may 
put  his  name  in  the  canon  of  the  mass  ;  also,  to 
say  if  the  canonization  of  the  beatified  Jose  Cu- 
pertino and  Serafino  Asculi  has  taken  place,  and 
if  there  is  any  other  beatified  one,  or  saint,  in  order 
that  I  may  put  them  in  the  calendar  and  pray  to 
them,  we  having,  it  would  appear,  taken  our  leave 
of  all  printed  calendars.  Tell  me  also  if  it  is  true 
that   the   Indians    have    killed    Father  Jose   Soler   in 


104  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Sonora,  and  how  it  happened,  and  if  there  are 
any  other  friends  defunct,  in  order  that  I  may  com- 
mend them  to  God,  with  anything  else  that  your 
reverence  may  think  fit  to  communicate  to  a  few 
poor  hermits  separated  from  human  society.  We 
proceed  to-morrow  to  celebrate  the  feast  and  make 
the  procession  of  Corpus  Christi  (although  in  a  very 
poor  manner),  in  order  to  scare  away  whatever  little 
devils  (diablillos)  there  possibly  may  be  in  this  land. 
I  kiss  the  hands,  &c.         tij^      t      *  c  >> 

bR.    JUNfPERO     OERRA. 

They  then  proceeded  to  found  the  mission  of 
Monterey  and  to  construct  a  chapel  ;  but  the  In- 
dians were  so  terrified  by  the  noise  made  at  the 
celebration  of  the  first  mass,  and  by  the  firing  of  the 
artillery  and  muskets,  that  it  was  a  considerable 
time  before  they  ventured  again  to  approach  the 
strangers.  It  was  not  till  the  26th  of  December 
that  the  first  baptism  of  the  Indians  was  celebrated  at 
Monterey,  which,  however,  turned  out  better  than 
the  first  essay  at  San  Diego,  and  filled  the  pious  mind 
of  Father  Junipero  with  inexpressible  pleasure.  He 
afterwards  boasts  that  in  three  years  this  mission 
had  175  baptized  Indians  ;  which  is  a  proof  of  how 
slowly  savages  admit  of  civilization  or  receive  a 
new  religion,  however  fervently  practiced  or  perse- 
veringly  advocated. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  first  place  selected  for 


Oi. 
O 

< 


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CQ 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  105 

the  mission  was  inconvenient ;  they  therefore  moved 
it  to  the  borders  of  the  river  Carmelo,  its  present 
situation.  The  San  Antonio  being  detained  for 
some  time,  the  father -president  was  enabled,  to 
examine  the  adjoining  country,  and  finding  many 
Indians,  and  good  situations  for  establishing  more 
missions,  he  wrote  to  the  chief  of  the  college  of 
San  Fernando,  in  Mexico,  that  although  a  hundred 
missionaries  more  were  sent,  there  would  be  employ- 
ment for  them  all. 

In  consequence  of  this  favorable  report  of  the 
promising  appearances  of  the  new  country,  the 
Viceroy,  in  concert  with  the  college  of  San  Fer- 
nando, ordered  thirty  missionaries  to  proceed  from 
Mexico  to  San  Bias, — ten  for  Upper  and  twenty  for 
Lower  California,  —  and  provided  them  with  sacred 
vessels  and  ornaments  for  the  churches,  and  also 
with  ten  thousand  dollars  in  money,  to  enable  the 
father -president  to  form  the  other  missions  which 
he  had  projected.  Orders  were  given  to  have  two 
vessels  ready  at  San  Bias  for  the  conveyance  of  the 
missionaries  and  their  effects ;  viz. ,  the  San  Antonio, 
with  the  ten  missionaries  destined  for  Upper  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  San  Carlos,  with  the  twenty  for 
Lower  California.  The  San  Antonio  left  San  Bias 
on  the  second  of  January,  1771,  and  arrived  at  San 
Diego  on  the  twelfth  of  March,  all  on  board 
affected    with    the    scurvy.      The    missionaries    then 


106  UPPER    CALIf^ORNIA 

proceeded  overland  to  Monterey.  The  mission- 
aries who  embarked  for  Loreto  had  much  worse 
fortune  than  their  brethren  ;  for,  although  Lo- 
reto is  but  a  few  days'  voyage  from  San  Bias, 
within  the  gulf,  and  the  transit  subject  to  no 
peril  whatever,  yet  it  so  happened  that  the  unlucky 
San  Carlos,  instead  of  proceeding  up  the  Gulf  of 
California  northerly,  was  driven,  as  they  reported, 
by  winds  and  currents,  southerly  to  Acapulco.  Nor 
was  this  all  :  the  captain  of  this  vessel,  after  having 
allowed  himself,  at  the  best  season  of  the  year,  and 
on  a  sea  the  most  placid  in  the  world,  to  be  carried 
—  one  can  hardly  suppose  how  —  so  far  south,  put 
into  a  port  on  the  coast,  called  Manzanilla,  now  well 
known  as  a  good  one,  got  his  vessel  on  shore,  and 
gave  notice  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  that  he  could 
not  proceed  on  his  voyage  !  The  poor  friars,  being 
now  left  to  shift  for  themselves,  resolved  to  proceed 
overland,  a  distance  of  not  less  than  twelve  hun- 
dred miles,  and  along  a  coast  without  roads,  with- 
out inhabitants,  and  abounding  in  all  manner  of 
hardships  and  dangers,  as  well  as  being  remarkable 
for  its  insalubrity.  This  journey  they  actually  per- 
formed, and  marched  along  the  shore  of  the  Pacific 
and  the  Gulf  of  California  till  they  arrived  opposite 
to  Loreto,  and  then  passed  over  to  that  place. 

The  captain,  in  the  mean  time,  got  positive  orders 
from  Mexico  to  repair  his  vessel  and  proceed  on  his 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  107 

voyage.  He  at  length  sailed  from  Manzanilla,  and, 
after  many  difficulties,  arrived  at  Loreto  on  the  thir- 
teenth of  August,  extending  the  voyage  to  eight 
months,  which  is  now  usually  made  in  five  or  six 
days  ! 

By  the  arrival  of  the  new  missionaries  in  Upper 
California,  the  father  -  president  was  enabled  to  ex- 
tend his  operations,  and  proceeded  to  found  the 
mission  of  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  in  the  hills  of 
Santa  Lucia,  distant  from  the  coast  of  the  Pacific 
about  eight  leagues,  and  about  twenty  from  Mon- 
terey. Some  time  after  the  establishment  of  this 
mission,  we  are  told  by  our  authority  that  so  severe 
a  frost  took  place  on  the  first  day  of  the  Pascua  of  the 
resurrection,  in  the  year  1780,  that  a  field  of  wheat, 
which  was  shot  and  in  flower,  became  as  dry  and 
withered  as  if  it  had  been  stubble  left  in  the  field 
in  the  month  of  August.  This  was  regarded  as  a 
great  misfortune  by  the  Indians,  and  still  more  by 
the  fathers,  they  knowing  better  the  great  loss  to  the 
mission  from  the  want  of  food.  It  became  neces- 
sary to  send  the  converts  to  the  woods  to  collect 
seeds  and  fruits  for  their  subsistence,  in  the  manner 
they  had  been  accustomed  to  do  before  their  conver- 
sion. The  fathers,  however,  (says  Paloii,)  encour- 
aging their  faith,  and  confiding  in  the  patronage 
of  San  Antonio,  invited  the  new  Christians  to  cele- 
brate the  novena  of   this  saint.     At   the   same   time. 


108  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

they  ordered  the  frosted  field  to  be  artificially  irri- 
gated with  water,  and  in  a  few  days  the  fresh 
blades  were  seen  springing  from  the  roots  of  the 
former  stalks,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  novena  the 
field  was  perfectly  green.  The  watering  was  con- 
tinued, and  the  wheat  grew  so  rapidly  that  in  fifty 
days  the  new  wheat  was  as  high  as  the  former  had 
been,  and  in  full  bloom ;  it  filled  well,  and  was  ripe 
at  the  same  time  as  in  former  years,  giving  such  an 
abundant  harvest  and  such  fine  grain  as  was  never 
before  experienced.  *'The  fathers,  (continues  Pa- 
lou, )  as  well  as  the  Indians,  acknowledged  this  to 
be  a  special  miracle  which  the  Lord  deigned  to  work 
in  their  favor  by  the  interposition  of  the  holy 
patron,  San  Antonio,  and  rendered  him  their  most 
affectionate  thanks  accordingly."  Some  less  faith- 
ful than  our  good  fathers  and  their  humble  converts 
may  doubt  whether  San  Antonio  or  the  water,  with 
the  rays  of  a  summer's  sun,  had  the  greatest  merit 
in  this  miracle;  but  it  may  be  granted  on  all  hands, 
that  the  prodigy  had  the  excellent  effects  which  the 
friars  deduced  from  it,  viz.,  that  it  encouraged  new 
converts  to  come  to  them  and  saved  them  from  the 
threatened  famine. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  San  Antonio,  the 
establishment  of  San  Gabriel  was  determined  on, 
and  missionaries,  with  soldiers,  were  dispatched  from 
San    Diego  for  that   purpose.     The  following  is  the 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  109 

miraculous  account  given  of  this  expedition  by 
Father   Paloii. 

*  *  On  the  tenth  of  August,  the  Father- Friar  Pedro 
Cambon  and  Father  Angel  Somera,  guarded  by  ten 
soldiers,  with  the  muleteers  and  beasts  requisite  to 
carry  the  necessaries,  set  out  from  San  Diego,  and 
traveled  northerly  by  the  same  route  as  the  former 
expedition  for  Monterey  had  gone.  After  proceed- 
ing   about    forty    leagues,    they   arrived   at   the   river 

Qesus  de  los  Temblores] 

called  Temblores,  and  while  they  were  in  the  act 
of  examining  the  ground  in  order  to  fix  a  proper 
place  for  the  mission,  a  multitude  of  Indians,  all 
armed,  and  headed  by  two  captains,  presented  them- 
selves, setting  up  horrid  yells,  and  seeming  determined 
to  oppose  the  establishment  of  the  mission.  The 
fathers,  fearing  that  war  would  ensue,  took  out  a 
piece  of  cloth  with  the  image  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Dolores,  and  held  it  up  to  the  view  of  the  barbarians. 
This  was  no  sooner  done  than  the  whole  were  quiet, 
being  subdued  by  the  sight  of  this  most  precious 
image,  and,  throwing  on  the  ground  their  bows  and 
arrows,  the  two  captains  came  running  with  great 
haste  to  lay  the  beads  which  they  brought  about  their 
necks  at  the  feet  of  the  sovereign  queen,  as  a  proof 
of  their  entire  regard,  manifesting,  at  the  same  time, 
that  they  wished  to  be  at  peace  with  us.  They 
then  informed  the  whole  of  the  neighborhood  of 
what    had    taken    place,    and    the    people,    in    large 


110  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

numbers, — men,  women,  and  children, — soon  came  to 
see  the  Holy  Virgin,  bringing  food,  which  they  put 
before  her,  thinking  she  required  to  eat  as  others. 
In  this  manner  (continues  our  historian),  the  gentiles 
of  the  mission  of  San  Gabriel  were  so  entirely 
changed  that  they  frequented  the  establishment  with- 
out reserve,  and  hardly  knew  how  much  to  mani- 
fest their  pleasure  that  the  Spaniards  had  come  to 
settle  in  their  country.  Under  those  favorable  aus- 
pices the  fathers  proceeded  to  found  the  mission  with 
the  accustomed  ceremonies,  and  celebrated  the  first 
mass  under  a  tree,  on  the  nativity  of  the  Virgin, 
the   eighth   of   September,    1771." 

After  the  settlement  of  San  Gabriel,  which  was 
the  fourth,  and  is  now  one  of  the  richest,  missions 
of  California,  the  missionaries  found  that  neither 
their  numbers  nor  their  means  enabled  them  to  com- 
mence others,  and  they  continued  doing  all  in  their 
power  to  improve  those  they  had  already  estab- 
lished. The  following  letter  from  Father  Junipero, 
dated  so  late  as  the  eighth  of  August,  1772,  shows 
that  their  situation  was  not  the  most  comfortable, 
nor  their  progress  very  much  advanced,  although 
they  had  been  more  than  three  years  in  the  coun- 
try. 

"  My  dear  Friend  and  Sir, — Thanks  be  to  God,  I 
am  in  good  health  ;  and  hunger,  which  in  this 
country  mortifies  and  has  mortified  many  poor  peo- 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  111 

pie,  has  not  been  felt  either  by  me  or  the  fathers, 
my  fellows.  There  is  no  fear  of  being  under  the 
necessity  of  abandoning  any  of  the  missions  now 
established.  The  people  are  chiefly  maintained  by 
the  Indians,  and  they  live  God  knows  how.  The 
milk  of  the  cows  and  the  vegetables  of  the  garden 
have  been  two  great  sources  of  subsistence  for  these 
establishments.  Both  begin,  however,  now  to  get 
scarce  ;  but  it  is  not  for  this  I  feel  mortified  :  it  is 
because  we  have  not  been  able  to  go  on  with  other 
missions.  All  of  us  feel  the  vexatious  troubles  and 
obstacles  which  we  have  to  encounter,  but  no  one 
thinks  of  leaving  his  mission,  or  desires  to  do  so. 
The  consolation  is,  that,  troubles  or  no  troubles, 
there  are  various  souls  in  heaven  from  Monterey, 
San  Antonio,  and  San  Diego.  From  San  Gabriel 
there  are  none  as  yet,  but  there  are  among  those 
Indians  many  who  praise  God,  and  whose  holy  name 
is  in  their  mouths  more  frequently  than  in  that  of 
many  old  Christians ;  yet  some  think  that  from  mild 
lambs,  which  they  are  at  present,  they  will  return 
one  day  to  be  lions  and  tigers.  This  may  be  so  if 
God  permits ;  but  we  have  three  years  of  experience 
with  those  of  Monterey,  and  with  those  of  San  An- 
tonio two  years,  and  they  appear  better  every  day. 
If  all  are  not  already  Christians,  it  is,  in  my  opinion, 
only  owing  to  our  want  of  understanding  the  lan- 
guage.    This  is  a  trouble  which  is  not  new  to  me  ; 


112  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

and  I  have  always  imagined  that  my  sins  have  not 
permitted  me  to  possess  this  faculty  of  learning 
strange  tongues,  which  is  a  great  misfortune  in  a 
country  such  as  this,  where  no  interpreter  or  master 
of  languages  can  be  had  until  some  of  the  natives 
learn  Spanish,  which  requires  a  long  time.  At  San 
Diego  they  have  already  overcome  this  difficulty. 
They  now  baptize  adults  and  celebrate  marriages, 
and  we  are  here  approximating  the  same  point. 
We  have  begun  to  explain  to  the  youth  in  Spanish; 
and  if  they  could  return  us  a  little  assistance  in 
another  way,  we  should  in  a  short  time  care  little 
about  the  arrival  of  the  vessels,  as  far  as  respects 
provisions  ;  but  as  affairs  stand  at  present,  the 
missions  cannot  much  advance.  Upon  the  whole, 
I    confide   in   God,   who   must   remedy   all." 

After  begging  of  his  friend  to  procure  more  mis- 
sionaries to  be  sent,   he  proceeds  :  — 

*'  Let  those  who  come  here  come  well  provided 
with  patience  and  charity,  and  let  them  pass  on  in 
good  humor,  for  they  may  become  rich, —  I  mean 
in  troubles,  —  but  where  will  the  laboring  ox  go, 
where  he  must  not  draw  the  plow  ?  and  if  he  do 
not  draw  the  plow,  how  can  there  be  an  harvest?" 

Having  now  formed  four  missions,  the  father- 
president  resolved  on  returning  to  Mexico,  and 
for  that  purpose  set  out  for  San  Diego,  where  he 
intended  to  embark.     On  his  way  to  that  place,  he 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  113 

founded  another  mission,  which  he  called  San  Luis 
Obispo  de  Tolosa ;  and  having  visited  that  of  San 
Gabriel,  being  the  only  one  he  had  not  seen,  he 
proceeded  to  San  Diego,  where  he  embarked  in  the 
packet-boat  San  Carlos  on  the  twentieth  of  October, 
and  arrived  at  San  Bias  on  the  fourth  of  Novem- 
ber,  1772. 

On  his  arrival  in  Mexico,  which  was  on  the  sixth 
of  February  following,  he  found  that  the  Viceroy 
Bucareli  had  determined  to  withdraw  the  marine 
establishment  from  San  Bias,  and  to  abandon  that 
port ;  but  Father  Junipero  represented  to  him  that 
this  was  the  only  place  from  which  a  communication 
could  be  kept  up  with  California,  and  so  fully  im- 
pressed him  with  the  importance  of  the  new  missions, 
that  he  not  only  consented  to  continue  the  establish- 
ment at  San  Bias,  but  also  ordered  a  frigate,  which 
had  been  begun  to  be  built  there,  to  be  finished  for 
the  purpose  of  exploring  the  coast  of  Upper  Cali- 
fornia, and  in  the  mean  time  gave  orders  for  one 
of  the  packet-boats  to  be  dispatched  to  Monterey 
with  provisions.  This  packet-boat,  with  the  usual 
mishap  attending  all  their  sea  voyages,  in  place  of 
making  Monterey,  was  driven  up  the  gulf,  and 
reached  Loreto  with  the  loss  of  her  rudder,  and 
otherwise  so  much  damaged  that  she  could  not 
again  proceed  on  her  voyage,  by  which  accident  the 
missions    were    nearly    all    starved,    and    the    \vhole 


114  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

fathers,  soldiers,  and  converts  were  obliged  to  subsist 
chiefly  on   milk  for  eight  months. 

Having  obtained  all  his  demands,  the  father- 
president  left  the  city  of  Mexico  in  September,  1773, 
with  various  missionaries,  officers,  and  soldiers,  as 
also  a  grant  of  necessaries,  consisting  of  maize, 
beans,  flour,  and  clothing,  to  the  value  of  above 
twelve  thousand  dollars ;  and  by  his  recommenda- 
tion an  expedition  was  ordered  to  proceed  by  the 
rivers  Gila  and  Colorado,  and  to  discover  a  passage 
by  that  route  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  up  a  com- 
munication by  land,  and  thus  avoid  the  misfortunes 
which  had  always  befallen  their  expeditions  by  sea. 
Captain  Juan  Bautista  Anza,  commandant  of  Tubac, 
in  the  province  of  Sonora,  was  appointed  to  this  land 
expedition,  and  eventually  arrived  safe  at  Monterey. 
Father  Junipero  proceeded  to  San  Bias  in  January. 
He  divided  the  supplies  between  the  packet-boat  San 
Antonio  and  the  new  frigate,  and  embarked  in  the 
latter  himself.  She  was  called  the  Santiago  of  [or] 
Nueva-  Galicia,  and  commanded  by  his  friend  Don 
Juan  Perez.  Although  they  were  bound  direct  to 
Monterey,  yet  from  some  of  those  fatalities  which 
never  ceased  to  attend  them,  they  were  obliged  to 
put  into  San  Diego,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
thirteenth  of  March,  after  a  passage  of  forty- nine 
days.  The  frigate  afterwards  pursued  her  voyage 
to  Monterey,  but  Father  Junipero  chose  to  go  over- 
land  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the   other  missions, 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  115 

and  on  his  way  met  Captain  Anza,  who  had,  as 
before  stated,  passed  overland  from  Sonora,  and  who 
informed  him  that  it  was  practicable  to  open  a  com- 
munication by  the  route  he  had  come,  and  that,  ac- 
cording to  his  orders  from  the  Viceroy,  he  was  about 
to  take  measures  for  establishing  this  communication. 

Anza  here  also  informed  the  president  of  the 
deplorable  state  in  which  Monterey  was  from  the 
want  of  provisions ;  that  * '  there  was  not  so  much 
as  a  cup  of  chocolate  to  enable  them  to  break  their 
fast," — a  privation,  of  all  others  the  most  insufferable 
to  a  Mexican  Spaniard,  to  whom  chocolate  is  one 
of  the  most  indispensable  necessaries  of  life.  The 
Captain  added  that  they  were  reduced  to  live  entirely 
on  milk  and  herbs,  without  bread,  or  any  other  thing 
whatever.  This  relation  made  the  good  father  shed 
tears,  and  he  made  all  possible  haste  to  arrive  with 
the  succors  he  had  with  him.  He  arrived  on  the 
eleventh  of  May,  and  found  that  the  frigate  had 
been  there  two  days  before  him.  The  father- presi- 
dent was  received  at  Monterey  with  the  greatest  dem- 
onstration of  joy,  and  plenty  once  more  appeared 
amongst   them. 

The  frigate,  after  remaining  at  Monterey  till  the 
eleventh  of  June,  sailed,  in  conformity  with  the 
instructions  of  the  Viceroy,  in  order  to  make  dis- 
coveries on  the  northwest  coast.  She  proceeded  as 
far   as   fifty- five   degrees   north,  when   she   discovered 

I  2 


116  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

an  inlet,  which  they  named  Santa  Margarita,  and 
without  seeming  to  have  done  anything  else,  they 
returned  to  Monterey,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
twenty -seventh  of  August  of  the  same  year.  A 
second  voyage  was  afterwards  made  from  San  Bias 
by  the  same  frigate,  under  the  command  of  Don 
Bruno  de  Heceta,  a  captain  in  the  royal  navy,  who 
took  with  him,  as  his  second  in  command,  the  same 
Don  Juan  Perez  who  commanded  the  previous  expe- 
dition. The  frigate  was  accompanied  by  a  schooner 
commanded  by  Don  Juan  Francisco  de  la  Bodega, 
the  future  friend  of  Vancouver,  and  who  was  so 
well  known  on  this  coast.  This  expedition  sailed 
from  San  Bias  in  the  middle  of  March,  1775.  They 
proceeded  to  the  northward,  surveying  the  coast  to 
forty-seven  degrees  of  north  latitude,  when  they 
lost  sight  of  the  schooner  in  a  gale  of  wind  on  the 
thirtieth  of  July.  The  frigate,  however,  continued 
to  coast  northward  till  they  arrived  about  the  same 
latitude  as  in  the  last  voyage  ;  and  having  again 
returned  to  the  forty- ninth  degree,  they  held  a  con- 
sultation of  officers  on  the  eleventh  of  August,  and 
it  was  resolved,  in  consequence  of  the  greater  part  of 
the  crew  being  ill  of  the  scurvy,  and  the  advanced 
state  of  the  season,  to  return  along  shore  and  to 
look  out  for  the  schooner.  This  plan  was  adopted, 
and  they  arrived  at  Monterey  on  the  twenty- ninth  of 
August,  with  almost  all  the  sailors  ill  of  the  scurvy. 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  117 

They   here    found    the    schooner,    which   had   safely 
arrived  some  time  before  them. 

After  receiving  the  account  of  this  expedition,  the 
Viceroy  Bucareli  determined  to  set  on  foot  a  third, 
and  for  that  purpose  ordered  a  frigate  to  be  built  at 
San  Bias,  and  also  sent  a  lieutenant  of  the  navy  to 
Peru  to  purchase  a  vessel  to  accompany  the  frigate. 
The  new  frigate  was  named  the  Princesa,  and  the 
ship  purchased  in  Peru  the  Favorita.  They  were 
ordered  to  be  got  ready  with  all  haste,  and  the 
Viceroy  gave  directions  to  put  on  board  everything 
necessary  for  a  voyage  of  one  year,  with  a  sufficient 
crew,  and  complement  of  marines.  Don  Ignacio 
Arteaga  was  appointed  to  command  the  squadron, 
and  two  missionaries  from  the  convent  of  San  Fer- 
nando accompanied  him.  These  two  vessels  sailed 
from  San  Bias  on  the  twelfth  of  February,  1779, 
and  as  Don  Juan  Perez  had  died  at  sea  on  the  for- 
mer voyage,  they  took  another  pilot  in  his  stead. 
The  chief  object  of  the  expedition  was  said  to  be 
to  discover  a  passage  to  the  North  Atlantic.  Noth- 
ing worthy  of  notice  happened  till  they  arrived  at 
fifty-five  degrees  of  north  latitude,  on  the  third  of 
June,  when  they  entered  a  strait,  which  they  called 
the  Strait  of  BucareU.  Here  they  occupied  them- 
selves in  looking  for  a  passage  to  the  eastward  till 
the  first  of  July,  when  they  proceeded  to  the  north- 
ward,   and    were    in    about    sixty    degrees    of    north 


118  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

latitude  on  the  first  of  August,  and  here,  they  say, 
they  found  a  large  port,  quite  secure,  and  well  pro- 
vided with  wood  and  water,  as  well  as  abundance 
of  fish.  This  they  took  possession  of  and  named 
Santiago.  It  is  supposed  to  be  what  is  now  called 
Cook's  Inlet.  Finding  an  arm  branching  off  to 
the  northward,  and  appearing  to  run  far  inland,  the 
commander  dispatched  an  armed  launch,  with  an 
officer  and  a  pilot,  to  examine  it,  but,  after  passing 
up  this  creek  for  some  days,  the  launch  returned 
without  seeing  any  appearance  of  its  termination, 
the  crew,  however,  bringing  with  them  some  natives 
from  the  interior  of  the  bay.  The  commander  did 
not  proceed  farther  in  this  survey,  but,  as  there  were 
many  sick,  resolved,  as  the  season  was  far  advanced, 
and  the  equinox  near,  not  to  make  any  more  sur- 
veys, but  to  consider  his  labors  as  concluded.  He 
accordingly  desired  the  pilots  to  make  for  some  of 
the  new  settlements  in  California,  where  he  might 
cure    the    sick    and    pass    the    equinox.     Thereupon 

[San  Krancisco] 

they  stood  for  the  port  of  San  Fernando,  which  they 
reached  on  the  fifteenth  of  September,  1779,  when 
the  usual  masses  and  other  religious  ceremonies 
were  performed  to  celebrate  the  happy  issue  of  this 
adventurous   voyage. 

I  have  gone  before  the  order  of  time  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  a  connected  account  of  these  voyages 
to  the  northwest,  but  I  wish  only  to  notice  them  in 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  119 

as  far  as  they  relate  to  the  estabhshments  of  Cali- 
fornia. It  is  sufficient  to  look  at  the  dates  and  the 
time  employed  on  those  voyages  to  show  that  little 
could  be  added  by  them  to  nautical  science  or  dis- 
covery. Modern  voyagers  know  that  the  summer 
weather  continues  in  those  latitudes  long  after  the 
time  the  Spaniards  considered  it  as  concluded,  and 
it  would  not  nowadays  be  thought  very  enterprising 
if  any  of  our  commanders  gave  up  his  discoveries 
in  the  northern  regions  at  the  end  of  August  ! 
But  the  president  and  Commandant  Arteaga,  whose 
apprehensions  of  the  equinox  overcame  his  faith 
in  the  protection  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la  Regla, 
thought  it  best  to  return  in  time,  and  found 
himself  safely  anchored  in  San  Francisco  on  the 
fifteenth  of  September,  seven  days  before  the  justly 
dreaded  time  of  the  sun's  passing  the  line. 

With  the  supply  of  provisions  and  other  neces- 
saries which  the  president  brought  from  Mexico, 
the  missionaries  recommenced  their  labors  with 
much  vigor,  and  had  a  corresponding  success  in  the 
conversion  of  the  natives  and  the  establishment  of 
new  missions  ;  but  in  the  following  year  an  occur- 
rence took  place,  which  was  considered  of  great 
importance,  being  no  less  than  the  attack  of  San 
Diego  and  the  assassination  of  one  of  the  mission- 
aries by  the  natives.  This  affair  is  related  by 
Father    Paloii    with     great    unction    and  ^becoming 


120  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

gravity.  **In  proportion  (says  he)  as  the  fathers  and 
the  new  Christians  were  full  of  joy  and  peace, 
the  discontent  of  the  great  enemy  of  souls  was 
increased  :  his  infernal  fury  could  not  suffer  him 
to  see  that  in  the  neighborhood  of  San  Diego  his 
party  of  gentiles  was  coming  to  a  close,  so  many 
being  brought  over  to  our  true  religion  by  means 
of  the  ardent  zeal  of  the  ministers,  and  the  more 
particularly  as  they  were  about  to  plant  another 
mission  between  San  Gabriel  and  San  Diego,  which 
would  effect  the  same  with  the  Indians  in  that  dis- 
trict, over  which  he  still  had  the  power,  and  which 
would,  of  course,  diminish  his  party.  He  therefore 
bethought  himself  of  some  means  not  only  of  pre- 
venting this  new  establishment,  but  of  destroying 
that  of  San  Diego,  which  was  the  oldest  of  the 
whole,  and  so  revenge  himself  on  the  missionaries, 
his  opponents.  In  order  to  accomplish  these  diaboli- 
cal intentions,  he  availed  himself  of  two  converts  from 
among  those  who  had  been  some  time  baptized,  who, 
after  the  feast  of  San  Francisco,  went  amongst  the 
Indians,  publishing  that  the  fathers  intended  to  put 
an  end  to  the  gentiles,  and  to  make  them  become 
Christians  by  force ;  and  in  proof  of  this,  desired 
them  to  consider  how  many  had  already  been  bap- 
tized. Although  many  doubted,  yet  the  greater  part 
believed  the  story  of  those  apostates  ;  and  the 
Devil   having   so   disposed   them,    he   engendered   in 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  121 

their  breast  the  passion  of  anger  against  the  fathers, 
and  with  this  disposition  they  formed  the  cruel 
intention  of  taking  away  their  lives,  as  also  to  kill 
the  soldiers,  set  fire  to  the  mission,  and  so  destroy 
the  whole.  Nothing  of  this  was  known  at  San 
Diego,  nor  was  any  such  plot  in  the  least  appre- 
hended ;  for  although  a  sergeant  and  some  soldiers 
were  sent  in  search  of  the  two  converts  who 
went  away  without  leave,  yet  the  only  account  they 
received  was,  that  they  had  gone  a  long  way  inland, 
towards  the  river  Colorado,  and  nothing  was  observed 
among  the  Indians  which  indicated  war,  but  what 
soon  happened  shows  their  intentions,  which,  how- 
ever, they  concealed  with  great  art.  More  than 
a  thousand  Indians  collected  from  different  places 
and  divided  themselves  in  two  parties,  one  to  attack 
the  mission,  and  the  other  the  presidio,  where 
the  soldiers  were  quartered.  They  intended  to 
set  fire  to  both  at  the  same  time,  and  to  kill  all 
the  people  ;  on  which  wicked  design  they  set  out, 
armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  spears  and  clubs. 

**They  arrived  at  the  bed  of  the  river  on  the 
night  of  the  fourth  of  November,  whence  the  two 
divisions  took  their  respective  routes,  —  the  one  for 
the  presidio  and  the  other  for  the  mission.  The 
party  destined  for  the  latter  arrived  at  the  huts  of 
the  converts  without  being  observed,  putting  some 
Indians    as    guards    to     prevent     the     inmates     from 


122  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

going  out  or  giving  any  alarm,  and  threatening  them 
with  death  if  they  attempted  to  do  so.  Some  then 
proceeded  to  the  church  and  sacristy  for  the  purpose 
of  robbing  the  ornaments,  vestments,  and  whatever 
else  they  might  find,  while  others  laid  hold  of 
lights  and  endeavored  to  set  the  quarters  of  the 
soldiers  on  fire.  These,  who  consisted  only  of  a 
corporal  and  three  men,  were  soon  awakened 
by  the  horrid  yells  of  the  Indians,  and  im- 
mediately armed  themselves,  the  Indians  having 
already  begun  to  discharge  their  arrows.  The 
Father  Vicente  joined  the  soldiers,  together  with 
two  boys.  The  Father  Luis,  who  slept  in  a  sepa- 
rate apartment,  on  hearing  the  noise,  went  towards 
the  Indians,  and,  on  approaching  them,  made  use 
of  the  usual  salutation,  'Amar  a  Dios,  hijos,'  (Love 
God,  my  children,)  when,  observing  it  was  the  father, 
they  laid  hold  of  him  as  a  wolf  would  lay  hold  of 
a  lamb,  and  carried  him  to  the  side  of  the  rivulet. 
There  they  tore  off  his  holy  habit,  commenced 
giving  him  blows  with  their  clubs,  and  discharged 
innumerable  arrows  at  him.  Not  contented  with 
taking  away  his  life  with  so  much  fury,  they  beat 
and  cut  to  pieces  his  face,  head,  and  the  whole  of 
his  body,  so  that  from  head  to  foot  nothing  remained 
whole,  except  his  consecrated  hands,  which  were 
found  entire  in  the  place  where  he  was  murdered. 
"  Meanwhile   others  of   the   Indians   proceeded   to 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  123 

the  place  where  two  carpenters  and  the  blacksmith 
were  sleeping,  and  who  were  awakened  by  the  noise. 
The  blacksmith  ran  out  with  his  sword  in  hand, 
but  was  immediately  shot  dead  with  an  arrow.  One 
of  the  carpenters  followed  with  a  loaded  musket 
and  shot  some  of  the  Indians,  who  were  so  much 
intimidated  that  he  was  allowed  to  join  the  soldiers. 
The  other  carpenter,  who  was  ill,  was  killed  in  bed 
by  an  arrow.  The  chief  body  of  the  Indians  now 
engaged  the  soldiers,  who  made  such  good  use  of 
their  fire-arms,  by  killing  some  and  wounding  others, 
that  the  Indians  began  to  waver,  but  they  at  last 
set  fire  to  the  quarters  of  the  Spaniards,  which  were 
only  of  wood,  and  who,  in  order  to  avoid  being 
roasted  alive,  valiantly  sallied  forth  and  took  posses- 
sion of  another  small  hut,  which  had  served  for  a 
kitchen,  and  which  was  constructed  of  dried  bricks. 
The  walls,  however,  were  little  more  than  a  yard  in 
height,  and  only  covered  with  branches  of  trees  and 
leaves  to  keep  out  the  sun.  They  defended  them- 
selves by  keeping  up  a  continual  fire  upon  the 
multitude,  who,  however,  annoyed  them  much  with 
their  arrows  and  wooden  spears,  more  particularly 
at  one  side  of  the  hut,  which  was  without  a  wall. 
Seeing  the  damage  that,  by  this  means,  they  were 
suffering,  the  soldiers  resolved  to  take  out  of  the 
house,  that  was  on  fire,  some  bales  to  fill  up  the 
open    part   of   the   kitchen.      In   doing   this,    two   of 


124  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

them  were  wounded,  and  disabled  from  giving  any 
more  assistance,  but  they  succeeded  in  fetching  the 
bales,  and  filHng  up  the  breach  with  them.  There 
then  only  remained  the  corporal,  one  soldier,  the 
carpenter,  and  the  Father  Vicente.  The  corporal, 
who  was  of  great  valor,  and  a  good  marksman, 
ordered  that  the  others  should  load  and  prime  the 
muskets,  he  only  firing  them  off,  by  which  method 
he  killed  or  wounded  as  many  as  approached  him. 
The  Indians,  now  seeing  that  their  arrows  were  of 
no  avail  owing  to  the  defense  of  the  walls  and  bales, 
set  fire  to  the  covering  of  the  kitchen,  but,  as  the 
materials  were  very  slight,  the  corporal  and  his  com- 
panions were  still  enabled  to  keep  their  position. 
They  were  greatly  afraid  lest  their  powder  should 
be  set  on  fire,  and  this  would  have  been  the  case 
if  Father  Vicente  had  not  taken  the  precaution  to 
cover  it  over  with  the  skirt  of  his  habit,  which  he 
did  in  disregard  of  the  risk  he  ran  of  being  blown 
up.  The  Indians,  finding  that  this  mode  of  attack 
did  not  oblige  their  opponents  to  leave  their  fort, 
commenced  throwing  in  burning  faggots  and  stones, 
by  which  Father  Vicente  was  wounded,  but  not 
very  dangerously.  The  whole  night  passed  in  this 
manner,  till,  on  the  rising  of  the  sun,  the  Indians 
gave  up  the  contest,  and  retired,  carrying  off  all 
their  killed  and  wounded.  The  whole  of  the  de- 
fenders   of    the    kitchen -fort     were     wounded,    the 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  125 

corporal  concealing  his  injuries  until  the  Indians 
had  retired,  in  order  to  avoid  discouraging  his 
companions." 

I  have  given  the  description  of  this  contest  at 
full  length,  and  in  the  language  of  the  Franciscan 
historian,  in  order  to  show  that  a  battle,  when  the 
forces  on  one  side  only  consisted  of  three  soldiers, 
commanded  by  a  corporal,  may  be  made  nearly  as 
much  of  on  paper  as  when  mighty  armies  meet. 
The  account  of  the  defense  of  the  kitchen -fort  is 
given  with  as  much  gravity  and  circumstantiality 
as  if  the  narrative  were  of  one  of  Napoleon's  vic- 
tories ;  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  issue  was 
as  important  to  the  individuals  engaged  in  this 
Lilliputian  combat  as  was  the  result  of  Austerlitz  or 
Lodi  to  their  victor.  It  is  also  worthy  of  record 
as  being  the  most  serious  attempt  to  obstruct  the 
Spanish  missionaries  in  their  spiritual  conquest  of 
California  ;  and  it  may  in  some  degree  account 
for  the  apparently  miraculous  conquests  of  the 
Spaniards  in  Mexico  and  Peru,  in  former  times,  by 
proving  how  superior  the  European,  with  his  musket 
and  his  gunpowder,  is  to  the  feeble  and  unskillful 
Indian    with   his   bow   and   arrow. 

On  hearing  of  the  misfortune  which  befell  San 
Diego,  the  father- president,  who  was  then  at  Monte- 
rey, resolved  to  proceed  to  that  mission,  but  was 
not  able  to  accomplish  his  design  till  the  month  of 


126  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

June.  He  then  proceeded  by  sea,  in  the  Princesa, 
and,  with  the  assistance  of  the  seamen  of  this  vessel, 
the  soldiers,  and  others,  he  repaired  the  damages 
done  by  the  Indians,  and  again  put  matters  on  the 
same  footing  as  before  the  attack.  Subsequently 
he  set  about  forming  another  mission,  called  San 
Juan  Capistrano.  On  his  way  to  this  place  he  was 
about  to  be  attacked  by  the  Indians,  but  was  saved 
by  one  of  the  converts,  who  had  the  presence  of 
mind  to  call  out,  in  the  Indian  dialect,  that  many 
soldiers  were  close  behind,  on  which  the  assailants 
gave  up  their  intention,  and  finally  joined  the 
Spaniards  on  their  journey,  receiving  beads  and 
becoming  friends. 

'^  After  founding  this  mission,  the  president  pro- 
ceeded to  Monterey,  and  prepared  to  establish  that 
of  San  Francisco,  on  the  borders  of  the  bay  of  that 
name,  which  had  long  been  projected.  He  left 
Monterey  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  June,  1776, 
with  some  soldiers  and  several  families  of  people, 
who  had  come  overland  from  Sonora  to  establish 
themselves  in  the  country,  carrying  with  them  black 
cattle,  mules,  and  necessaries  for  the  new  mission. 
One  of  the  packet-boats  proceeded  at  the  same 
time  for  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco,  with  the 
rest   of   the    necessaries. 

On    the    twenty -seventh    of    June    the    expedition 
arrived    near    the    situation   where  ^they   intended   to 


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UPPER    CALIFORNIA  127 

plant  the  mission,  on  the  banks  of  the  lake  near 
one  of  the  arms  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 
While  they  there  waited  the  arrival  of  the  vessel  to 
determine  the  exact  spot  for  its  foundation,  many 
of  the  natives  came  to  them  with  demonstrations  of 
peace,  and  expressed  pleasure  at  their  arrival.  Find- 
ing that  the  packet-boat  did  not  make  its  appearance, 
they  commenced  cutting  timber  for  their  houses, 
and  pitched  upon  the  most  eligible  situation 
for  the  presidio,  near  the  place  where  they  had 
halted.  Indeed,  the  vessel  did  not  arrive  till  the 
eighteenth  of  August,  having  been  detained  by 
contrary  winds,  which  drove  her  back  as  far  as  to 
the  latitude  of  thirty- three  degrees. 

They  took  solemn  possession  of  this  presidio  on 
the  seventeenth  day  of  September,  "this  day  being 
(says  Father  Paloii)  the  festival  of  the  impression 
of  the  sores  of  San  Francisco,  the  patron  of  the 
port.  After  blessing,  adoring,  and  planting  the  holy 
cross,  the  first  mass  was  chanted,  and  the  cere- 
mony concluded  by  a  Te  Deum^  the  act  of  possession 
in  the  name  of  our  sovereign  being  accompanied 
with  many  discharges  of  artillery  and  musketry 
by   sea   and   land." 

They  afterwards  proceeded  to  survey  the  harbor 
both  by  land  and  by  a  launch,  and  ascertained 
that  there  was  no  other  outlet  to  the  ocean  except 
by  the    passage    through   which    they    had    entered. 


128  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Previous  to  the  vessel  returning  to  San  Bias,  they 
performed  the  ceremony  of  taking  possession  of 
the  mission,  in  the  same  manner  as  they  had  before 
done  of  the  presidio,  and  this  they  did  on  the  day 

[on]  [October.] 

of  San  Francisco,   in  the  ninth  of   November. 

It  appears  that  about  this  time  Father  Paloii 
joined  the  missionaries  in  Upper  California,  as  he 
now  begins  to  speak  in  the  first  person  ;  conse- 
quently his  authority  is  even  more  valuable  than 
before.     We  resume  our  narrative  in  his  words. 

'*None  of  the  natives  attended  these  ceremonies, 
as  in  the  middle  of  August  the  whole  of  those  who 
inhabited  this  place  disappeared,  going  in  their  rush 
balsas,  some  to  uninhabited  islands  in  the  bay, 
others  to  the  other  side  of  the  strait.  This  move- 
ment was  occasioned  by  their  being  surprised  by  a 
tribe  or  nation  called  the  Salsona,  their  great  ene- 
mies, who  on  this  occasion  killed  a  great  number 
of  them,  and  set  fire  to  their  huts.  This  misfor- 
tune we  were  unable  to  prevent,  as  the  surprise 
and  destruction  took  place  without  our  knowledge, 
and  when  we  endeavored  to  detain  the  flying  Indi- 
ans, they  paid  no  attention  to  us.  This  flight  of 
the  Indians  was  the  cause  of  our  being  a  long  time 
without  making  any  converts,  as  we  did  not  see 
any  of  them  again  till  the  end  of  March  of  the 
following  year.  They  then  began  to  get  over  the 
fear  of  their  enemies,  and  once  more  reposed  some 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  129 

confidence  in  us.  The  first  baptism  performed  in 
this  mission  was  on  St.  John's  Day  of  this  year, 
1776. 

I  shall  not  further  follow  the  progress  of  the 
President  Junipero  Serra  and  his  spiritual  associates 
in   the   formation   of   the   other   missions ;     suffice   it 

[1784] 

to  say,  that,  before  his  death  in  1782,  there  were 
established,  in  addition  to  those  already  mentioned, 
Santa  Clara,  Santa  Barbara,  and  San  Buenaventura, 
which,  together  with  San  Diego,  Monterey,  San 
Antonio,  San  Gabriel,  and  San  Francisco,  made, 
in  the  whole,  eight  missions,  all  of  which  he 
occasionally   visited. 

But  he  had  at  last  to  yield  up  his  account,  and  to 
withdraw  from  the  field  in  which  he  had  so  long 
and  so  laboriously  toiled,  in  the  hope,  however,  of 
joining  in  another  world  his  prototype  and  master, 
San  Francisco,  whom  he  had  so  assiduously  made 
the  object  of  his  veneration  and  model  for  his 
labors   in   this. 

"We  piously  believed  (says  Father  Palou)  that 
he  had  slept  in  the  Lord  a  little  before  two,  in  the 
afternoon,  on   the   day  of   San  Agustin,  in   the  year 

[1784] 

1782,  and  that  he  would  go  and  receive  in  heaven 
the  reward  of  all  his  apostohcal  labors.  He  fin- 
ished his  laborious  life  at  the  age  of  seventy  years, 
nine  months,  and  twenty-one  days.  He  had  passed 
fifty-three   years,    eleven    months,    and    thirteen   days 

9  K 


130  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  holy  orders  ;  and  of  this  time,  thirty-  five  years, 
four  months,  and  thirteen  days  in  the  office  of 
apostoHc  missionary,  in  which  time  he  performed 
the  glorious  actions  which  we  have  seen,  having 
lived  in  continual  activity,  occupied  in  virtuous  and 
holy  exercises  and  in  singular  prowesses,  all  directed 
to  the  greater  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
souls." 


CHAPTER    II 

RECENT      HISTORY      OF      UPPER       CALIFORNIA.  —  PRESENT 
POLITICAL      CONDITION      AND      PROSPECTS 

The  same  plan  of  colonization  and  management, 
which  has  been  described  in  the  preceding  chapter, 
continued  to  be  carried  on  ^vith  little  or  no  varia- 
tion by  Father  Serra's  successors  until  the  whole 
of  the  littoral  territories  of  California,  with  all  their 
inhabitants,  came  under  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
dominion  of  the  missionaries.  A  description  of  the 
settlement  and  progress  of  the  individual  missions, 
if  their  history  could  be  obtained,  would  possess  lit- 
tle interest.  In  a  subsequent  chapter  I  shall  give 
an  account  of  the  actual  condition  of  the  whole, 
and  will  now  conclude  this  by  a  brief  notice  of  the 
civil  history  of  the  country  up  to  the  present  time.  . 
During  the  long  period  that  had  elapsed  since  the 
first  foundation  of  the  missions,  many  large  dona- 
tions had  been  bestowed,  and  numerous  estates  in 
land  and  houses  left  for  the  benefit  of  the  missions, 
which    were    consolidated    into    a    fund    called    the 

131  K  2 


132  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

California  Pious  Fund.  This  fund  was  managed 
by  the  convent  of  San  Fernando,  and  other  trustees 
in  Mexico,  and  the  proceeds  regularly  remitted 
annually  to  California,  as  also  the  salaries  assigned 
to  the  missionaries  by  the  king.  The  government 
likewise  sent  soldiers  to  protect  them  from  the  attacks 
of  the  wild  Indians  and  foreign  enemies. 

Under  this  state  of  things,  the  missions  greatly 
prospered.  They  went  on  augmenting  their,  posses- 
sions, increasing  their  stock  of  domestic  animals  and 
the  number  of  converted  Indians,  until  they  had 
absorbed  nearly  the  whole  of  the  valuable  lands, 
to  the  almost  total  exclusion  of  free  white  settlers. 
No  one  could  possess  land,  except  by  a  grant  from 
the  missionaries,  who,  on  all  occasions,  were  very 
reserved  in  conceding  such  grants,  and  few  colonists 
were  to  be  found,  except  the  officers  of  the  troops, 
the  soldiers,  and  their  followers.  Great  care  was 
taken  that  the  soldiers  should  not  leave  too  many 
descendants,  to  the  supposed  prejudice  of  the  mis- 
sionary plan ;  and  as  no  officer  or  soldier  in  His 
Catholic  Majesty's  service  can  marry  without  his 
special  license,  it  could  easily  be  managed  that  as 
many  marriages  were  permitted  as  were  desired,  and 
no  more.  This  fully  accounts  for  the  very  scanty 
number  of  free  colonists  that  exists  in  California. 

In  Upper  as  in  Lower  California,  the  missionary 
establishments    were    acknowledged   to   be   the   great 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  133 

objects  for  which  the  country  was  settled  and  main- 
tained ;  and  they  existed  in  an  almost  complete 
state  of  independence  of  the  Mexican  government. 
Still,  the  country  belonged  to  Spain,  and  all  the 
ordinary  government  establishments  were  kept  up 
in  it,  although  to  a  much  smaller  extent  than  in 
the  other  provinces  of  the  viceroyalty  of  New  Spain. 
The  general  -  commandant  of  all  the  troops  in  the 
country  was  also  governor  of  all  places  and  per- 
sons not  under  the  immediate  authority  of  the 
fathers.  He  resided  at  Monterey,  and  had  a  salary 
of  four  thousand  dollars.  He  could  not  interfere 
^  with  the  affairs  of  the  missions,  but  was  obliged  to 
grant  them  assistance  when  they  claimed  it. 

The  ancient  system  remained  in  full  force  until 
the  period  of  the  revolution  in  Mexico  and  the 
separation  of  all  the  Americas  from  Spain.  At  that 
time.  Upper  California  was  formed  into  what  is  called 
a  territory,  and  Lower  California  into  another,  on  the 
ground  of  their  respective  populations  not  amounting 
to  the  number  entitling  them  to  be  federative  states, 
these  being  established  on  the  basis  of  population. 

The  territories  are  not  entitled  to  have  gover- 
nors or  legislatures,  but  are  allowed  to  send  one 
member  to  the  general  congress.  This  member  is 
entitled  to  sit  and  take  a  part  in  discussions,  but 
has  no  vote.  The  territories  are,  from  their  being 
deprived  of   governors  or  legislatures,   subject  to  the 


134  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

immediate  government  and  legislation  of  the  general 
government  in  Mexico.  This  reduced  Upper  Cali- 
fornia to  be  directed  by  an  agent  of  the  government, 
who  resided  there,  under  the  denomination  of  com- 
mandant-general. This  state  of  things  California 
has  not,  as  yet,  had  much  cause  to  lament ;  for,  until 
wiser  legislation  is  adopted,  and  greater  harmony 
exists  between  the  general  government  and  the 
different  state  legislatures,  it  is  no  great  misfortune 
to  be  deprived  of  the  labors  of  a  provincial  popular 
assembly. 

The  two  Californias  send  each  a  member  to  the 
general  congress,  elected  by  popular  suffrage.  The 
first  deputy  elected  for  Upper  California  was  a  cap- 
tain of  the  Californian  troops,  and  a  Spaniard  by 
birth ;  but  on  his  arrival  at  San  Bias  he  found  a  law 
had  been  passed  excluding  natives  of  Spain  from 
congress,  and  he  was  obliged  to  return.  A  lieutenant 
was  then  elected  to  succeed  him,  who  proceeded  to 
the  city  of  Mexico,  where  he  died.  A  sergeant  of 
the  same  corps  was  next  elected,  who  served  out  his 
term  of  two  years  in  the  Mexican  congress,  and  then 
returned  to  his  native  country.  This  retrogression 
in  the  rank  of  the  honorable  members  is  rather 
singular. 

When  an  enlightened  man  shall  govern  this  dis- 
tant and  thinly  peopled  country,  it  must  be  much 
better  regulated  than  if  it  were  domineered  over  and 


UPPER     CALIFORNIA  135 

plundered  by  a  set  of  ill-informed  and  rapacious 
men  united  into  a  democratic  council,  and  daily 
manufacturing  absurd  laws  and  regulations,  which, 
after  a  very  short  time,  are  laid  aside  for  some  fresh 
whim,  as  a  child  throws  away  its  plaything  at  the 
sight  of  a  new  one.  It  is  true  that  even  in  the  ter- 
ritories there  is  some  semblance  of  a  local  govern- 
ment, for  they  have  what  is  called  a  deputation, 
which  is  a  sort  of  privy  council,  more  for  the 
purpose  of  advising  with  the  commandant  than  of 
originating  anything  of  themselves.  Their  powers 
are  consequently  very  limited,  and  their  reunion 
takes   place   but   very   seldom. 

When  visited  in  1826  and  1827  by  Captain  Beechey, 
the  missions  had  begun  to  feel  the  effect  of  the 
recent  changes  in  the  government  of  Mexico.  At 
this  time  there  had  arrived  orders  to  liberate  all 
the  Indians  "who  had  good  characters,  and  were 
supposed  able  to  maintain  themselves,  from  having 
been  taught  the  art  of  agriculture  or  some  trade." 
They  were  directed  to  have  portions  of  land  given 
to  them  for  their  maintenance,  and  the  district  to  be 
divided  into  parishes,  with  curates  provided  for  each. 
At  the  same  time,  the  missionaries'  salaries,  formerly 
paid  by  government,  (400  dollars  per  annum,)  were 
suspended,  the  country  being  expected  to  support 
its  own  establishment.  Considering  the  utterly 
helpless    and    enslaved    state    of    the    Indians,    which 


136  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

we  shall  describe  more  fully  by  and  by,  it  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  a  system  of  legislation  of "  this  sort, 
however  philanthropic  in  appearance,  could  really 
answer  the  intended  object.  Accordingly,  when 
Captain  Beechey  returned  in  the  following  year 
(November,  1827)  he  found  that  the  new  project 
had  failed,  and  matters  were  in  some  degree  restored 
to  their  former  state.  In  consequence  of  the  strong 
remonstrances  of  the  fathers,  the  governor  had 
modified  the  orders  received  from  Mexico,  and 
agreed  to  make  the  experiment  on  a  small  scale. 
''After  a  few  months'  trial,  (says  Captain  Beechey,) 
he  found  that  these  people,  who  had  always  been 
accustomed  to  the  care  and  discipline  of  school-boys, 
finding  themselves  their  own  masters,  indulged  freely 
in  all  those  excesses  which  it  had  been  the  endeavor 
of  their  tutors  to  repress,  and  that  many,  having 
gambled  away  their  clothes,  implements,  and  even 
their  land,  were  compelled  to  beg  or  to  plunder,  in 
order  to  support  life.  They  at  length  became  so 
obnoxious  to  the  peaceable  inhabitants,  that  the 
padres  were  requested  to  take  some  of  them  back 
to  the  missions,  while  others,  who  had  been  guilty 
of  misdemeanors,  were  loaded  with  shackles  and  put 
to  hard  work,  and  when  we  arrived  were  employed 
in  transporting  enormous  stones  to  the  beach  to 
improve    the   landing  -  place.  ' '  *      This    unfortunate 

*  Voyage   to  the   Pacific,    vol.    II,    p.  *320. 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  137 

result  was  taken  advantage  of  by  the  fathers,  and 
their  remonstrances  procured  not  only  the  restora- 
tion of  their  salaries,  but  a  promise  of  payment 
of  the  arrears,  they  consenting  to  be  submissive  to 
the   new   government. 

Since  this  time,  various  contradictory  laws  have 
been  passed  respecting  this  country,  and  projects 
for  its  government  and  improvement,  equally  con- 
tradictory, set  on  foot;  yet  it  is  true  that  no  change 
of  government  or  of  system  has  been  able  materially 
to  alter  the  original  Franciscan  dispensation,  which 
may  still  be  said  to  exist  in  all  its  primitive  purity. 
The  great  source  of  the  property  of  the  missions  is, 
however,  now,  I  believe,  effectually  dried  up,  viz., 
their  supplies  from  Mexico  ;  for  although  the 
natives  of  Spain  and  their  descendants  inhabiting 
Mexico  retained  their  religious  zeal  for  conquering 
infidels  and  converting  heathens  longer  and  in 
greater  force  than  the  other  European  Christians, 
yet  the  American  revolutions  swept  this,  together 
with  the  Inquisition,  and  many  other  equally  ven- 
erable customs,  entirely  away,  and  the  modern  repub- 
licans want  money  too  much  at  home  to  think  of 
sending  any  to  so  remote  a  place  as  California,  so 
that  the  Pious  Fund  of  California,  like  most  other 
funds  that  could  be  made  available,  has  been  put 
to  less  pious  uses.  But  the  value  of  the  estates  of 
the   missions   has   so    much   increased,   as   well   from 


138  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

the  multiplication  of  the  domestic  animals  and  aug- 
mented agricultural  produce  of  the  soil  as  from  the 
additional  demand  and  consequent  increase  of  price 
which  the  opening  of  the  trade  to  strangers  has 
caused,  that  the  missionaries  are  not  only  able  to 
maintain  themselves,  but  have  to  spare  ;  and  in 
place  of  receiving  supplies  from  Mexico,  are  even 
obliged  to  maintain  the  government  troops.  And 
although  it  has  been  a  general  opinion  in  Mexico, 
since  the  revolution,  that  the  Californian  system 
should  be  altered,  yet  it  would  appear  that  the 
government,  under  the  presidency  of  Bustamante, 
or  rather  the  ministry  of  Alaman,  thought  otherwise, 
for  in  1833  they  sent  a  reinforcement  of  eleven  Fran- 
ciscan friars,  with  a  new  prefect  of  the  same  order 
at  their  head.  These  friars  were  some  time  de- 
tained at  Tepic,  a  town  near  San  Bias,  waiting  for  a 
vessel,  where  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  them. 
They  were  fresh  from  a  convent  of  Zacatecas,  where 
the  rules  are  very  strict.  They  all  wore  a  habit  of 
the  coarsest  gray  woolen  cloth,  their  crowns  shaven, 
and  sandals  on  their  feet.  They  were  totally  igno- 
rant of  the  world,  and  of  everything  respecting  the 
country  which  they  were  going  to  govern.  They 
brought  to  one's  mind,  in  the  most  lively  manner, 
the  days  of  the  pilgrimages  of  the  Middle  Ages,  and 
if  the  anomalous  nature  of  their  destination  could 
have  been  kept  out  of  view,  they  would  have  formed 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  139 

an  interesting  group.  As  it  was,  it  was  impossible 
not  to  feel  respect  for  their  character,  and  a  degree 
of  veneration,  mixed  with  pity,  on  thinking  on  their 
destiny,  and  observing  their  very  pious,  humble,  and 
meek  demeanor.  It  will  not  be  here  out  of  place  to 
give,  in  a  few  words,  the  future  history  of  these  poor 
friars,  as  it  will  illustrate  at  once  their  character  and 
the  still  very  unsettled  state  of  these  countries.  It 
will  also,  doubtless,  remind  the  reader  of  the  old  days 
of  Fathers  Salvatierra  and  Junipero  Serra. 

General  Figueroa,  being  appointed  military  gov- 
ernor or  commandant  -  general  of  Upper  California, 
chartered  a  vessel  in  Acapulco  to  take  himself,  with 
some  officers  and  soldiers,  to  Monterey,  and  intended 
to  call  at  San  Bias  for  eleven  missionaries  who  were 
to  join  him  there.  Instead,  however,  of  proceeding 
directly  to  San  Bias,  he  thought  it  would  be  better 
to  touch  at  San  Lucas,  in  Lower  California,  dis- 
embark there  with  the  soldiers,  and  send  the  ship 
to  San  Bias  for  the  friars,  and  then  to  proceed  to 
Mazatlan  for  some  military  stores.  This  was  accord- 
ingly done ;  and  while  the  vessel  was  in  the  Bay 
of  Mazatlan,  and  after  having  the  gunpowder  and 
most  of  the  other  stores  on  board,  she  was  struck 
with  lightning,  which  passed  along  the  mizzenmast 
into  the  hold,  and  set  fire  to  some  materials  very 
near  the  powder.  The  fire  was  fortunately  extin- 
guished  before   any  bad   consequence   ensued.      The 


140  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

lightning  passed  close  to  the  cabin  of  the  friars, 
who  were  all  below,  and  it  was  remarked  with  what 
wonderful  calmness  they  betook  themselves  to  their 
only  remedy,  —  their  sacred  offices  and  rosaries.  It 
was,  indeed,  only  by  force  that  the  officers  and  sea- 
men could  remove  them  from  off  the  hatch  to  get 
down  the  magazine,  which  was  immediately  below 
them,  and  they  were  thus  only  saved  by  the  prompt 
exertions  of  the  seamen  from  being  blown  to  atoms. 
This  danger  being  over,  and  the  vessel  again  put  to 
rights,  she  proceeded  to  Cape  San  Lucas  to  take  on 
board  the  General  and  troops ;  and  as  the  friars 
were  all  sick,  never  having  before  even  seen  salt 
water,  they  went  on  shore  the  moment  the  ship 
came  to  anchor.  The  General  then  gave  orders  for 
embarkation  next  morning,  and  the  first  division  of 
soldiers  proceeded  to  the  beach  with  ammunition, 
arm-chests,  &c.  When  the  whole  was  ready  for 
putting  off  in  the  launch,  a  sergeant  informed  his 
officers  that  he  and  his  comrades  had  determined 
not  to  proceed  to  Upper  California,  declared  for  the 
party  of  General  Santa  Anna,  then  in  revolution 
against  the  government,  and  avowed  their  intention 
of  proceeding  to  San  Bias  to  join  their  brother  patri- 
ots engaged  in  the  same  cause.  At  the  same  time 
arming  themselves,  they  proceeded  to  fire  upon  the 
quarters  of  the  General,  with  whom  were  the  unfor- 
tunate   friars.     In    this    extremity,    the   General    and 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  141 

his  companions,  who  were  unarmed,  had  to  fly,  and 
the  mutineers  took  possession  of  the  ship,  and 
obliged  the  captain  to  carry  them  to  San  Bias,  taking 
along  with  them  the  military  chest,  in  which  were 
sixteen  thousand  dollars,  as  well  as  the  private  prop- 
erty of  the  general  and  his  officers.  The  sergeant, 
however,  generously,  or  rather  piously,  sent  on 
shore,  before  his  departure,  three  thousand  dollars 
for  the  friars,  thus  verifying  what  is  far  from  un- 
common, that  a  very  considerable  degree  of  religious 
feeling  may  be  manifested  by  those  who  are  guilty 
of  the  most  atrocious  crimes.  The  poor  friars 
were  now  left  in  an  almost  desert  country  ;  and 
having  experienced  so  unpromising  an  onset  in 
their  sea  voyage,  resolved  not  to  trust  themselves 
again  to  that  element,  which  seemed  to  them  so 
unpropitious,  and  which  had  also  been  so  fatal  to 
their  predecessors,  the  first  settlers  of  California. 
They  at  first  determined  to  follow  the  route  by  land 
which  the  Father  Junipero  had  done  so  many  years 
before  them ;  but,  reflecting  upon  the  difficulties 
which  presented  themselves,  and  receiving  the  coun- 
sel, or  perhaps  commands,  of  the  general,  they  were 
at  length  prevailed  on  to  proceed  to  La  Paz,  and 
there  wait  further  orders  from   Mexico. 

In  the  mean  time  the  vessel  proceeded  on  her 
voyage  to  San  Bias,  during  which  the  sergeant  broke 
open    the    military    chest,    and    took    what     money 


142  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

he  thought  necessary,  to  divide  amongst  his  follow- 
ers and  the  sailors  ;  he  also  assigned  a  sum  for  the 
captain  and  mates,  which,  as  they  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  offend  him,  they  received,  but  returned 
on  their  arrival  at  San  Bias.  On  the  arrival  of 
the  vessel  at  this  port,  which  had  also  declared  for 
Santa  Anna,  the  sergeant  and  his  soldiers  were  re- 
ceived by  their  compatriots  with  open  arms,  and 
the  remainder  of  the  money,  which  he  chose  to 
deliver  up  to  the  authorities,  was  thankfully  re- 
ceived, leaving  this  worthy  character  to  appropriate 
to  himself  what  he  pleased.  The  ship,  after  repair- 
ing her  damages,  getting  some  fresh  stores,  and 
spending  a  long  time  on  the  coast,  at  last  proceeded 
to  La  Paz,  where  the  friars  once  more  embarked, 
and  finally  arrived  at  their  destination. 

Notwithstanding  this  indication  of  following  up 
the  old  system,  a  law  was  soon  after  passed  by  the 
general  congress  of  Mexico  for  entirely  removing 
the  missionaries,  dividing  the  lands  and  cattle 
amongst  the  Indians  and  settlers,  and  appropriating 
their  funds  in  Mexico  to  the  use  of  the  state.  The 
democratic  party,  then  in  power,  soon  after  the 
passing  of  the  law,  named  commissioners,  amongst 
their  own  friends,  to  carry  it  into  execution,  and 
empowered  them  to  engage  emigrants  in  Mexico  to 
accompany  them,  and  to  whom  the  pay  of  half  a 
dollar  a  day   was   assigned   till   their  arrival   in  Cali- 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  143 

fornia,  with  a  free  passage,  and  provisions  during  ^ 
their  voyage.  Nearly  three  hundred  people  engaged 
on  those  terms,  consisting  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. They  were  of  every  class  of  persons  except 
that  which  could  be  useful ;  for  there  was  not  one 
agriculturist  amongst  them.  They  were  chiefly  from 
the  city  of  Mexico,  and  consisted  of  artisans  and 
idlers  who  had  been  made  to  believe  that  they  would 
soon  enrich  themselves,  in  idleness,  in  this  happy 
country.  There  were  to  be  seen  goldsmiths  pro- 
ceeding to  a  country  where  no  gold  or  silver  existed ; 
blacksmiths,  to  where  no  horses  are  shod  or  iron 
used ;  carpenters,  to  where  only  huts  without  furni- 
ture were  erected;  shoemakers,  to  where  only  san- 
dals of  rawhide  were  worn ;  tailors,  to  where  the 
inhabitants  only  covered  themselves  with  a  blanket; 
doctors,  to  where  no  one  gets  sick.  There  were  also 
engravers,  printers,  musicians,  gamblers,  and  other 
nameless  professors, — all  bound  on  this  hopeful  cru- 
sade, which  their  enthusiastic  leaders  assured  them 
would  procure  unalloyed  felicity  and  unbounded 
riches.  The  projectors  and  leaders  of  this  colony 
had  also  formed  and  published  a  magnificent  plan 
of  a  public  company,  which  they  entitled  "The  Cos- 
mopolite Company  "  (Compania  Cosmopolitana).  It 
embraced  the  three  great  branches  of  agriculture, 
manufactures,  and  commerce,  which  were  to  be  car- 
ried  on   upon  a  scale   of   great   magnitude.      Gover- 


144  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

nors,  directors,  secretaries,  clerks,  inspectors  of 
accounts,  administrators,  majordomos,  and  all  the 
other  multifarious  officers  so  well  understood  in 
Spanish  undertakings,  and  so  necessary  in  such 
projects,  were  provided  in  profusion,  and  the  most 
minute  regulations  specified  for  their  government. 
None  of  our  celebrated  companies  of  1825  could 
possibly  surpass  them  in  the  extent  of  their  views 
or  the  exactness  of  their  detail.  To  carry  this 
scheme  into  execution,  subscription  shares  were 
opened  for  the  emigrants  and  others,  and  it  is  said 
that  about  eight  thousand  dollars  (;£^  1,600)  were 
obtained.  Doubtless,  if  this  colony  and  company 
had  been  allowed  to  put  their  plan  of  spoliation  of 
the  missions  in  execution,  it  might  not  have  turned 
to  so  bad  account.  But,  immediately  after  their 
leaving  San  Bias,  General  Santa  Anna  assumed  the 
government,  displacing  Gomez  Farias,  the  leader 
of  the  democrats  ;  and  one  of  his  first  acts  was  to 
dispatch  a  messenger  overland,  by  the  way  of  the 
Rio  Colorado  and  round  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of 
California,  in  order  to  prevent  the  Californian  com- 
missioners from  carrying  their  projected  plan 
against  the  missions  into  execution.  The  commis- 
sioners and  emigrants,  having  embarked  at  San  Bias 
in  two  vessels,  had  a  long  passage,  and  allowed 
Santa  Anna's  messenger  to  arrive  before  them,  so 
that    General    Figueroa    refused    to    admit    of    their 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  145 

commission,  but  assigned  them  lands  on  which  they 
might  settle  as  emigrants.  This  was  remonstrated 
against  most  violently,  but  they  were  obliged  to 
submit,  and  they  retired  to  a  spot  on  the  Bay  of 
San  Francisco,  where  they  were  for  a  time  supported 
on  provisions  from  the  nearest  mission.  They  en- 
deavored to  settle  themselves  among  the  other  colo- 
nists, but,  being  accused  of  views  contrary  to  the 
existing  state  of  things,  they  were  banished  from 
the  country,  and  in  the  month  of  May,  1835,  the 
leaders  of  this  colony,  together  with  many  of  their 
followers,  returned  to  Mexico,  landing  in  a  vessel 
at   San   Bias. 

Thus  ended  the  first  attempt  made  by  the  Mexi- 
can republic  to  augment  the  population  and  to  alter 
the  state  of  California.  Its  termination  has  been  such 
as  was  to  be  expected  from  such  an  ill-concerted 
plan.  This  foolish  scheme  cost  a  very  large  sum 
of  money,  at  a  time  when  the  government  could  ill 
spare  it.  However,  had  this  money  been  applied 
in  a  proper  manner,  and  had  industrious  agricul- 
tural settlers  been  sought  for  and  introduced  judi- 
ciously, the  result,  both  to  the  country  and  to  the 
settlers,  would  have  been  highly  beneficial,  whereas 
it  has  only  brought  misery  on  the  emigrants  and 
loss   and   ridicule   on   the   government. 

It  is  perhaps  advantageous  for  California  that  it 
should  remain  a  part  of  the  Mexican  republic,  inas- 

10  L 


146  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

much  as  it  reaps  the  advantage  of  disposing  of  its 
produce  in  the  Mexican  ports  free  of  foreign  duties. 
This  advantage  is,  however,  at  present,  but  nominal ; 
for,  in  the  first  place,  it  sends  little  or  no  produce  to 
that  country ;  and  in  the  second  place,  the  coasting 
duty  is  exorbitant,  being  twelve  per  cent  on  the 
selling  price  where  the  articles  are  landed.  But 
when  a  wiser  policy  is  adopted,  and  when  California 
becomes  an  exporting  country,  this  advantage  would 
be  of  much  consequence.  California,  however,  is 
quite  a  distinct  country  from  Mexico,  and  has 
nothing  in  common  with  it,  except  that  the  present 
inhabitants  are  of  the  same  family.  It  is  therefore 
to  be  apprehended  that  on  any  cause  of  quarrel 
between  the  two  countries,  it  will  be  apt  to  separate 
itself  from  the  parent  state.  This,  from  its  distant 
situation,  and  the  difficulty  of  conveying  troops  from 
Mexico,  would  be  easily  effected ;  and  although  the 
present  population  is  inadequate  to  form  permanently 
an  independent  nation,  yet  the  fashion  of  splitting 
countries  into  small,  independent  portions  has  become 
so  prevalent  in  the  late  Spanish  possessions  that 
an  attempt  to  realize  such  a  project  may  not  be  so 
improbable  as  it  should  now  seem.  The  situation 
and  natural  resources  of  California  are  so  favor- 
able that  a  small  number  of  inhabitants  could  resist 
any  attacks  made  upon  it  by  such  a  nation  as 
Mexico,  or   it   might   even   soon    overawe   the   coast 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  147 

of  Mexico  itself,  and  force  the  government  of  that 
country  to  grant  it  such  terms  as  it  should  demand. 
The  shores  of  the  Mexican  republic  on  the  Pacific 
are  ill  calculated  for  maintaining  any  maritime 
force.  It  has  none  at  present ;  and,  from  its  un- 
healthy situation,  scarcity  of  materials,  and  want 
of  sailors  or  maritime  enterprise,  it  is  not  likely 
ever  to  have  on  the  Pacific  any  formidable  navy. 
On  the  contrary,  California  is  calculated,  in  an 
eminent  degree,  to  become  a  maritime  power.  Its 
coasts  are  healthy,  its  harbors  excellent,  and  its 
capacity  to  produce  materials  for  ship-building  and 
marine  stores  is  almost  without  limits.  If,  therefore, 
there  should  ever  exist  a  sufficient  population  to 
maintain  a  separate  sovereignty,  or  the  occupiers  of 
the  country  be  of  a  quality  and  character  capable 
of  taking  advantage  of  those  resources,  Mexico, 
instead  of  being  able  to  reduce  California,  would 
be   obliged   to   succumb   to   it. 

Any  foreign  power,  if  disposed  to  take  possession 
of  California,  could  easily  do  so,  but  the  happy 
state  of  peace  which  reigns  at  present  in  the  world, 
and  the  just  principles  which  the  great  powers  of 
Europe  have  adopted,  of  not  interfering  with  the 
possessions  of  others,  put  any  fear  of  that  kind  out 
of  the  question.  The  settlement  of  the  Russians  at 
Bodega  is,  strictly  speaking,  in  the  Mexican  terri- 
tory ;    but  it  has  conducted  itself  so  quietly,  that  no 

L  2 


148  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

attempt  has  been  made  to  disturb  it,  although  sus- 
picions have  been  entertained  that  at  some  future 
day  the  whole  of  Upper  California  would  fall  into 
their   hands. 

A  latent  jealousy  also  exists  in  the  minds  of 
some  of  the  Mexican  politicians,  that  if  foreign 
emigrants  were  admitted  in  great  numbers  into 
California,  they  might  set  up  for  themselves,  and 
cause  the  loss  of  the  country.  This,  however,  is 
but  an  imaginary  contingency ;  and  if  the  Mexican 
government  would  adopt  a  wise  system  of  coloni- 
zation laws,  and  a  liberal  general  policy,  under 
which  their  citizens  could  live  happily,  no  fears  on 
that  account,  for  a  great  length  of  time,  need  be 
entertained.  Under  the  present  system,  it  is  of  little 
consequence  to  whom  it  belongs.  If,  indeed,  a  future 
Cochrane  should  visit  the  shores  of  California  and 
make  common  cause  with  its  inhabitants,  as  our 
hero  did  with  the  Chilefios,  the  period  might 
not  be  remote  when  it  should  make  the  Mexican 
shores  tremble  as  Chile  did  those  of  Peru.  And, 
truly,  there  seems  no  alternative,  except  to  admit 
foreign  emigrants  or  to  allow  the  country  to  remain 
stationary ;  for  the  character  of  the  present  popu- 
lation leaves  no  probability  of  its  rapid  increase 
either  in  number  or  enterprise,  and  nothing  can 
be  expected  of  emigration  from  the  other  Mexican 
states,  which  are  themselves  but  too  thinly  peopled, 


UPPER     CALIFORNIA  149 

and   whose   inhabitants  are  but   ill   fitted   for  such  a 
country   as   California. 

[The  preceding  part  of  this  chapter,  as  well  as 
the  whole  of  the  present  work,  was  finished  and 
sent  to  England  in  the  year  1835.  The  following 
additional  particulars  are  given  from  a  recent  letter 
received  by  the  editor  from  the  author,  and  are 
too   important   to   be   suppressed.] 

In  the  year  1836,  the  inhabitants  of  Monterey  and 
the  vicinity  rose,  and,  declaring  themselves  inde- 
pendent, attacked  the  garrison  and  forced  the  com- 
mandant and  troops  to  capitulate.  At  a  public 
meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  called  subsequently,  on 
the  7th  November,  at  Monterey,  the  following  reso- 
lutions were  passed  as  the  basis  of  a  provisional 
government. 

1st.     Upper     California    is    declared    to    be    inde-  \ 
pendent  of   Mexico   during  the  non-re-establishment 
of    the    federal    system    which    was    adopted   in   the 
year   1824. 

2nd.  The  said  California  shall  be  erected  into  \ 
a  free  and  governing  state,  establishing  a  congress 
which  shall  dictate  all  the  particular  laws  of  the 
country  and  elect  the  other  supreme  powers  neces- 
sary, declaring  the  actual  *'  Most  Excellent  Depu- 
tation ' '   constituent. 

3rd.     The   rehgion  shall   be   the    Roman  Catholic 


150  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Apostolic,    without    admitting    the    exercise    of    any     * 
other ;     but    the    government    will    not    molest    any 
persons   for  their   particular  religious   opinions. 

4th.  A  constitution  shall  regulate  all  the  branches 
of  the  administration  ''provisionally,"  in  conformity, 
as  much  as  possible,  with  the  expressed  declara- 
tion. 

5th.     Until    what    is    contained    in    the    foregoing  * 
articles   be   put  in   execution,    Senor    Don    Mariano  ^ 
Guadalupe    Vallejo    shall     be     called    on    to    act    as 
commandant  -  general. 

6th.     The     president     of     the    "  Most     Excellent     \ 
Deputation"    shall    pass    the    necessary    communica- 
tions  to   the   municipalities   of  the   territory. 

They  followed  up  these  proceedings  by  expelling 
the  whole  officials  of  the  Mexican  government,  and 
all  the  troops,  from  the  country,  and  transporting 
them   to   the   Mexican   territory. 

On  receiving  notice  of  this  revolution,  the  Mexi-| 
can  government  immediately  had  recourse  to  their 
usual  mode  of  warfare,  fulminating  furious  procla^ 
mations  and  addresses  to  the  citizens,  appealing  to*} 
their  patriotism,  and  ordering  to  be  prepared,  without 
delay,  a  formidable  expedition  to  proceed  against 
such  audacious  and  unnatural  sons  of  the  republic, 
whom  it  was  incumbent  on  them  to  put  down,  and 
chastise  as  their  treason  deserved.  The  first  patriotic 
ebullition,   however,   soon   subsided.      No   expedition  \ 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  151 

was  prepared,  California  was  soon  forgotten,  and  it 
has  remained  for  nearly  two  years  to  do  as  it  pleases, 
to  have  a  government  of  its  own  manufacture,  or  to 
live  without  a  government  at  all.  Being  thus  left 
to  the  freedom  of  their  own  will,  the  Calif ornians, 
true  to  the  spirit  which  has  animated  all  the  Spanish- 
American  colonies  since  their  emancipation,  imme- 
diately began  to  divide  themselves  into  parties  ;  and 
although  there  are  only  about  five  thousand  Spanish 
Creoles  in  the  whole  country,  they  had  their  party  of 
the  north,  which  declared  for  an  entire  independence 
of  Mexico,  and  the  party  of  the  south,  which  ad- 
hered to  Mexico  on  certain  conditions.  The  want 
of  frequent  communication  with  Mexico  renders  it 
quite  uncertain  what  may  at  present  (June,  1838) 
be  the  state  of  the  country ;  but  it  is,  at  least,  evi- 
dent now,  if  there  was  any  doubt  formerly,  that 
it  is  at  this  moment  in  a  state  which  cannot  pre- 
vent its  being  taken  possession  of  by  any  foreign 
force  which  may  present  itself.  The  British  govern- 
ment seem  lately  to  have  had  some  suspicion  that 
California  would  be  encroached  upon,  if  not  taken 
entire  possession  of,  by  the  Russians,  who  are  settled 
so  close  upon  its  northern  frontier,  but,  by  the  latest 
accounts,  no  encroachment  has  been  made,  nor 
has  any  augmentation  been  made,  either  in  the 
number  of  people  in  the  colony  or  in  the  fortifica- 
tions. The  danger  does  not  lie  there.  There  is 
another     restless     and     enterprising     neighbor,    from 


152  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

whom  they  will  most  probably  soon  have  to  defend 
themselves,  or  rather  to  submit  to ;  for  although  the 
frontiers  of  North  America  are  much  more  distant 
than  the  Russians,  yet,  to  such  men  as  the  back- 
settlers,  distance  is  of  little  moment,  and  they  are 
already  well  acquainted  with  the  route.  The  north- 
ern American  tide  of  population  must  roll  on 
southward  and  overwhelm  not  only  California,  but 
other  more  important  states.  This  latter  event,  how- 
ever, is  in  the  womb  of  time,  but  the  invasion  of 
California  by  American  settlers  is  daily  talked  of ;  and 
if  Santa  Anna  had  prevailed  against  Texas,  a  por- 
tion of  the  inhabitants  of  that  country,  sufficient 
to  overrun  California,  would  now  have  been  its 
masters. 

There  have  been  some  thoughts  of  proposing  to 
the  Mexican  government  that  it  should  endeavor 
to  cancel  the  English  debt  —  which  now  exceeds  fifty 
millions  of  dollars  —  by  a  transfer  of  California  to  the 
creditors.  This  would  be  a  wise  measure  on  the  part 
of  Mexico,  if  the  government  could  be  brought 
to  lay  aside  the  vanity  of  retaining  large  possessions. 
The  cession  of  such  a  disjointed  part  of  the  republic 
as  California  would  be  an  advantage.  In  no  case 
can  it  ever  be  profitable  to  the  Mexican  republic, 
nor  can  it  possibly  remain  united  to  it  for  any 
length  of  time,  if  it  should  even  be  induced  to 
rejoin  this  state,  from  which,  at  present,  it  is,  to  all 
intents     and     purposes,     separated.      Therefore,     by 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA  153 

giving  up  this  territory  for  the  debt,  [it]  would  be 
getting  rid  of  this  last  for  nothing.  But  would  the 
English  creditors  accept  of  it  ?  I  think  they  might, 
and  I  think  they  ought.  They  have  lately  displayed 
an  inclination  to  treat  and  to  receive  lands  as  a  part 
of  the  debt,  where  no  land  exists  belonging  to  Mexico. 
In  the  settlement  made  with  Lizardi  &  Co.,  as  agents 
for  the  Mexican  government  in  London,  lands  are 
stipulated  to  be  delivered,  at  a  certain  price  per  acre, 
in  Texas,  in  which  Mexico  does  not  possess  an  acre, 
in  the  state  of  New  Mexico,  which  is  many  hundred 
leagues  inland  in  Sonora,  and  God  knows  where. 
To  the  good  fortune,  however,  of  the  English 
creditors,  this  contract  has  been  disapproved  of  by 
the  Mexican  government,  and  it  is  hoped  that  some 
more  rational  scheme  will  be  hit  upon  to  give 
the  creditors  some  sort  of  tangible  security  for  at 
least  a  part  of  what  they  have  been  so  scandalously 
fleeced  out  of.  If  California  was  ceded  for  the 
English  debt,  the  creditors  might  be  formed  into  a 
company,  with  the  difference  that  they  should  have 
a  sort  of  sovereignty  over  the  territory,  somewhat 
in  the  manner  of  the  East  India  Company.  This,  in 
my  opinion,  would  certainly  bring  a  revenue,  in  time, 
which  might  be  equal  to  the  interest  of  the  debt, 
and,  under  good  management,  and  with  an  English 
population,  would  most  certainly  realize  all  that 
has   been    predicted   of   this   fine   country. 


CHAPTER    III 

TOPOGRAPHY     OF     UPPER     CALIFORNIA.  —  NATURAL 
PRODUCTIONS 

The  part  of  Upper  California  at  present  occupied 
by  the  missions  and  settlers  is  about  five  hundred 
English  miles  in  length,  and  the  breadth  from  the 
sea  to  the  first  range  of  hills  may  be  stated  at  an 
average  of  forty  miles,  which  will  give  an  area  of 
twenty  thousand  square  miles,  and  about  thirteen 
millions  of  English  statute  acres.  This,  however,  is 
but  a  small  part  of  Upper  California,  as  the  whole 
country  extending  to  the  Rio  Colorado,  and  to  an 
undefined  limit  northward,  is  included  in  its  terri- 
tory ;  and  although  the  missionaries  have  hardly 
extended  their  settlements  to  the  northward  of  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  yet  the  most  fertile  lands,  and 
those  fittest  for  European  settlers,  lie  to  the  north 
of  and  around  that  bay.  The  whole  extent  of 
Upper  California,  properly  so  called,  presents  a  su- 
perficies equal  to  many  of  the  most  extensive  and 
powerful  kingdoms  of   Europe. 

All   this   immense   extent  of   territory,  except   that 
occupied   by  the   missions  on  the  coast,   is  possessed 

154 


TOPOGRAPHY  155 

by  scattered  tribes  of  Indians,  and  has  been  hitherto 
but  Httle  known.  Since,  however,  the  Mexican  coun- 
try has  been  opened  to  strangers  by  the  revolution, 
those  plains  and  wilds  have  been  traversed  by  adven- 
turers from  the  United  States  of  North  America. 
Parties  of  hunters,  armed  with  rifles,  and  carrying  a 
few  articles  for  barter,  have  traveled  from  the  borders 
of  the  Mississippi  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  and 
have  astonished  the  Californians  by  their  sudden 
appearance,  and  still  more  by  the  fact  that  they  had 
escaped  the  vengeance  of  the  wild  Indians.  The 
adventures  of  those  American  hunters  furnish  exam- 
ples of  the  most  extraordinary  daring,  and  present  a 
remarkable  contrast  to  the  conduct  of  the  indolent 
native  Creole.  The  latter  seldom  leaves  his  own  habi- 
tation, or  exposes  himself  to  the  rays  of  the  sun ; 
whereas  these  men,  from  their  being  always  in  the 
open  air,  and  from  the  effect  of  their  rough  pursuits, 
appear  nearly  as  wild  as  the  beasts  they  are  in 
chase  of.  The  Spanish  settlers  always  considered  the 
Indians  on  the  Rio  Colorado  and  countries  adjacent 
as  ferociously  inimical  to  white  men,  and  that  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  pass  through  their  territory. 
This  is,  however,  a  great  exaggeration  ;  for  although 
some  of  the  tribes  may  not  be  so  docile  or  pusil- 
lanimous as  those  formerly  living  on  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific  and  in  other  parts  of  Mexico,  yet 
there   are   none   of  them   very   formidable. 


156  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

The  country  immediately  behind  the  high  lands 
which  bound  the  present  possessions  of  the  mission- 
aries is  reckoned  even  superior  to  that  on  the 
coast,  and  is  said  to  consist  of  plains,  lakes,  and 
hills,  beautifully  diversified,  and  of  the  greatest 
natural  fertility,  capable  of  yielding  every  variety  of 
vegetable  productions,  and  abounding  with  timber 
of  great  size.  To  the  northward  of  these  plains  are 
situated  two  large  lakes,  said  to  be  distant  from  one 
another  about  eighteen  or  twenty  leagues,  and  their 
extent  is  described  to  be  very  great ;  but  so  little 
certain  is  known  respecting  them,  that  it  would 
only  lead  to  error  to  repeat  the  tales  related  by  those 
who  have  never  seen  them.  There  is  no  doubt, 
however,  of  their  existence,  and  that  they  possess 
many  fine  islands,  which  are  inhabited  by  Indians. 
The  lakes  and  streams  in  this  district  abound  with 
bulrushes,  called  by  the  natives  tule,  and  from  this 
the  whole  Country  takes  its  name,  being  called  the 
plains   of   the    Tulares. 

As  bearing  on  the  topographical  character  of 
the  Indian  countries,  I  will  here  introduce  a  short 
notice  of  some  missionary  travels  through  a  part 
of  them,  undertaken  shortly  after  the  first  establish- 
ment of  the  missions  in  Upper  California.  The 
information  is  interesting  from  the  earliness  and 
authenticity  of  its  source,  and  not  the  less  so  because 
it    throws    some     Httle     light    on    the    character    of 


TOPOGRAPHY  157 

the  natives,  and  the  policy  of  the  original  founders 
of  the  Cahfornian  missions.  For  this  and  other 
valuable  information  on  the  subject  of  the  present 
work,  derived  from  some  scarce  books  and  old 
manuscripts,  I  am  indebted  to  the  great  kindness 
of  Don  Manuel  Najera,  prior  of  the  Carmelite  con- 
vent in  Guadalajara,  in  the  republic  of  Mexico,  a 
gentleman  as  distinguished  for  his  extensive  learning 
as  [for]  his  excellent  moral  qualities.  Don  Manuel 
has  in  his  library  a  collection  of  valuable  and  scarce 
books  and  MSS.  on  the  subjects  of  Mexican  history 
and  antiquities,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  will 
one  day  give  to  the  public  the  result  of  his  extensive 
researches. 

The  first  of  these  curious  documents  is  a  manu- 
script written  by  Friar  Francisco  Garces,  giving  an 
account,  in  the  form  of  a  journal,  of  a  journey  per- 
formed by  him  in  the  year  1775,  from  the  missions 
on  the  borders  of  Sonora  to  Upper  California,  and 
his  return  by  nearly  the  same  route.  This  journey 
was  made  about  six  years  after  the  establishment  of 
the  Franciscan  missions  in  Upper  California.  The 
Father  Garces  naturally  expected  to  be  received  by 
his  brethren  and  the  military  authorities  in  the  new 
settlements  with  kindness,  and  admitted  as  a  co- 
adjutor in  the  work  of  civilizing  the  natives,  and  in 
establishing  the  true  faith  amongst  them,  more 
particularly  as  having  verified,  by  his  successful 
journey,  the  facility  of  communicating  by  land  with 


158  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Mexico,  and  of  connecting  in  one  bond  the  whole 
territory  from  the  Rio  Colorado  to  the  Pacific.  But 
very  different  was  his  reception.  On  his  arrival  at 
the  mission  of  San  Gabriel,  he  was  told  that  it  was 
not  at  all  desirable  that  a  communication  should  be 
opened,  by  which  the  Indians  on  the  Rio  Colorado 
and  the  intervening  plains  might  be  enabled,  per- 
haps, to  molest  or  attack  the  new  settlements.  So 
much  displeasure  did  the  governor  of  California 
show  to  the  traveler,  that  he  refused  him  all  suc- 
cor or  assistance,  and  even  denied  him  the  neces- 
sary provisions  to  enable  him  to  return.  Finding 
such  an  inhospitable  reception.  Father  Garces  re- 
mained only  a  few  days  with  his  brother  missionaries, 
and  set  out  on  his  return,  traversing  the  country 
called  the  Tulares,  and  finally  arriving  at  his  own 
mission   in   Sonora   without   any   accident. 

There  is  a  short  manuscript  annexed  to  that 
of  the  Father  Garces,  professing  to  be  the  journal 
of  Father  Francisco  Atanacio  Dominguez  and 
Father  Silvestre  Velez  de  Escalante,  kept  during  a 
journey  performed  by  them  in  1776,  from  Santa 
Fe,  the  capital  of .  the  province  of  New  Mexico, 
towards  Monterey,  in  Upper  California.  Those 
friars  took  a  more  northerly  route  than  Garces,  and 
were,  by  their  account,  at  one  time  as  far  as  41°  N. 
But,  after  they  had  arrived  as  far  as  what  they 
considered  to  be  136  leagues  in  a  direct  line  west 
of   Santa  Fe,   and   reckoning   themselves   yet  a  great 


TOPOGRAPHY  159 

distance    from    Monterey,    they   determined    to    give 
up   the   enterprise,  and   to   return. 

From  the  accounts  given  by  these  missionaries, 
it  appears  that  the  borders  of  the  rivers  Gila  and 
Colorado  were  thickly  peopled  by  Indians  in  a  very 
low  state  of  civilization.  They,  however,  cultivated 
some  maize,  and  even  wheat,  and  they  had  also  cattle. 
The  travelers  did  not  encounter  the  slightest  opposi- 
tion or  hostility  from  any  of  the  tribes  through  which 
they  passed.  On  the  contrary,  they  were  received 
with  kindness,  and  presented  with  a  part  of  such 
food  as  they  possessed.  On  leaving  the  vicinity  of  the 
Rio  Colorado  and  proceeding  westerly,  they  found 
the  natives  fewer  in  numbers  and  less  civilized,  the 
greater  part  being  entirely  naked,  and  living  on 
roots,  and   seeds   of  trees. 

Father  Garces  says  that  his  manuscript  will  be 
accompanied  by  a  map  made  by  Father  Pedro 
Font,  who  accompanied  him  a  part  of  the  journey, 
but  who  separated  from  him  and  returned.  This 
map,  however,  is  missing ;  and  although  Garces 
informs  us  that  he  carried  with  him  a  quadrant  and 
mariner's  compass,  it  is  difficult  to  trace  his  route, 
as  he  only  gives  the  latitude  at  very  distant  points ; 
but  he  gives  the  number  of  leagues  daily  traveled, 
and  the  point  oi  the  compass  towards  which  he 
directed   his   course. 

The   journeys   of   those   friars   are   chiefly  valuable 


160  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  as  far  as  they  prove  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
character  of  the  Indian  population  of  the  country 
lying  between  the  peopled  Mexican  states  and  Cali- 
fornia which  can  prevent  its  being  easily  colonized, 
or  which  could  prevent  a  free  communication  over- 
land ;  neither  is  the  distance  at  all  formidable.  It 
is  also  proved  by  them  that  the  whole  of  this  vast 
country  is  free  from  any  natural  obstruction  to  its 
settlement  and  cultivation.  There  are  no  impene- 
trable forests,  and  the  greater  part  is  a  level  country, 
full  of  pasturage,  and  capable  of  being  cultivated. 

The  Father  Garces  traveled  between  the  thirty- 
fourth  and  thirty- fifth  degrees  of  latitude,  having 
taken  his  departure  from  the  west  bank  of  the  Rio 
Colorado,  in  about  35°  N.,  keeping  in  the  direction 
of  the  mission  of  San  Gabriel,  in  Upper  California, 
making  the  distance,  by  his  diary,  from  this  river  and 
the  said  mission,  only  about  ninety  leagues,  which 
agrees  very  well  with  the  distance  as  laid  down  upon 
the  maps.  He  makes  the  distance  from  the  last  of 
the  missionary  settlements  in  Sonora,  called  "Tuc- 
s6n,"  to  the  Rio  Colorado,  seventy- five  leagues; 
thus  making  the  whole  distance  from  those  settle- 
ments to  San  Gabriel,  on  the  Pacific,  165  leagues. 
This  distance,  by  the  usual  mode  of  traveling  in 
Mexico,  would  only  be  about  ten  days'  journey.  As 
these  travelers,  however,  take  no  observations  for 
the  longitude,  for  which  they  had  not  the  necessary 


TOPOGRAPHY  161 

instruments,  there  is  no  great  certainty  as  to  the 
distances  they  give.  They  calculate  the  leagues  by 
the  rate  at  which  their  mules  travel  ;  and  as  the 
maps  we  have  are  formed  by  this  mode  of  surveying, 
they  cannot  be  much  depended  upon. 

These  missionary  travels  being  undertaken  chiefly 
with  the  intention  of  converting  the  natives  and  of 
fixing  on  the  proper  places  for  planting  missions, 
everything  which  is  most  interesting  to  the  general 
reader  or  geographer  is  almost  lost  sight  of.  The 
Father  Garces  traveled  with  the  Virgin  Mary  painted 
on  one  side  of  a  piece  of  canvas,  and  the  Devil, 
in  the  flames  of  hell,  on  the  other.  To  unfurl  this 
standard  was  his  first  operation  on  arriving  at 
the  habitation  of  a  tribe  of  Indians ;  and  he  ob- 
serves, that,  on  showing  the  Virgin,  they  generally 
exclaimed  "Good!"  but  on  turning  the  other  side, 
they  said  **Bad!"  This  introduction  was  followed 
by  some  questions,  put  through  interpreters,  respect- 
ing their  willingness  to  become  Christians,  and 
vassals  of  the  king  of  Spain  ;  whether  they  knew 
anything  of  heaven,  of  God,  or  of  the  Virgin,  &c. 
The  father,  however,  took  some  pains  to  ascertain 
the  names  of  the  different  tribes  on  the  rivers  Gila 
and  Colorado,  and  of  their  wars  and  numbers.  He 
gives  the  following  list  of  the  nations  he  visited,  or 
had  an  account  of;    viz., — 

11  M 


162  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

On  the  River  Gila  On  the  River  Colorado 

Nations                                         Souls             Nations  Souls 

Papaga  [Papago] 4,000         Cucopa  [Cocopa]       ....  3,000 

Pima 2,500         Tallignamay 2,000 

Cocomaricopas 2,500         Carjuenche  [Cajuenche]       .      .  3,000 

Yuma 3,000 

TQ]aIchedon  [Alchedoma]      .  2,500 

Tamasabs  [Mohave]       .      .      .  3,000 


9,000  16,500 

Total 25,500 

He  gives  the  names  of  eleven  other  nations,  which 
inhabit  the  country  more  to  the  northward,  but 
does  not  state  their  numbers.  This  numeration  is 
exclusive  of  all  the  tribes  in  the  intervening  country 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  Rio  Colorado  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean ;  and  although  the  tribes  which  he  saw  there 
do  not  appear  to  have  been  so  numerous  as  those 
on  the  rivers,  yet  they  were  very  considerable. 
The  fathers  Dominguez  and  Escalante  found  to 
the  northward,  as  far  as  they  reached,  the  whole 
country  occupied  by  tribes  which  appear  to  have 
been  more  civilized  and  better  clothed  than  those 
on  the  rivers  and  plains  to  the  southward,  so  that 
the  aggregate  population  of  these  as  yet  unknown 
countries   must   be   great. 

Since  these  journeys,  which  seem  to  have  been 
undertaken  by  the  missionaries  with  some  zeal, 
there  has  been  nothing  done,  either  to  ascertain 
the   real   state   or   situation   of   those   countries   or  to 


TOPOGRAPHY  163 

civilize  the  natives.  The  whole  country  beyond  the 
mission  of  Tucson  is,  as  in  former  days,  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Indian  tribes,  and  the  vast  region 
between  the  frontiers  of  Sonora  and  the  strips  of 
country  occupied  by  the  descendants  of  the  Span- 
iards in  Upper  California  is  a  terra  incognita^  and 
not  merely  so,  but,  apparently,  utterly  forgotten  by 
the  inhabitants  and  government  of  Mexico. 

The  lakes  of  the  Indian  country  abound  with  a 
great  variety  of  fish  and  aquatic  birds,  and  have,  on 
their  borders  and  islands,  great  numbers  of  otters, 
and  other  animals  which  supply  valuable  furs.  The 
Spanish  missionaries  had,  long  ago,  an  intention  to 
form  new  missions  in  the  plains  of  the  Tulares,  but 
this  was  never  accomplished,  and  the  revolution 
has  probably  put  an  end  to  all  such  projects  for  a 
long  time. 

The  situation  of  Upper  California,  between  the 
tropical  and  northern  zones,  places  it  in  the  list  of 
those  countries  which  have  always  been  most  prized 
by  mankind ;  and  the  nature  of  its  soil  and  climate, 
and  most  of  its  other  topographical  relations,  are 
calculated  to  justify  all  the  favorable  expectations 
which  its  happy  geographical  relations  naturally  give 
rise  to.  "The  climate  (says  Laperouse)  differs  a 
little  from  that  of  the  southern  provinces  of  France ; 
at  least,  the  cold  is  never  so  piercing  there  ;  but  the 
heat  of  summer  is  much   more  moderate,   owing  to 

M  2 


164  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

the  continual  fogs  which  reign  there,  and  which 
procure  for  the  land  a  humidity  very  favorable  to 
vegetation." 

This  account  of  Laperouse  is  not  quite  correct. 
The  southern  parts  of  the  country  are  not  entirely 
exempt  from  the  periodical  rains  and  long  droughts 
to  which  the  tropical  climates  in  their  vicinity  are 
liable.  For  this  reason,  irrigation  of  the  land  sown 
with  wheat  becomes  necessary  there.  In  the  northern 
districts,  however,  and  particularly  around  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco,  the  rains  are  more  general, 
and  irrigation  unnecessary.  The  periodical  rains  of 
the  south,  which  are  very  heavy,  begin  to  fall  in 
November  and  continue  till  April,  being  the  reverse 
of  what  takes  place  on  the  Mexican  continent, 
where  the  rains  commence  in  June  and  end  in 
November.  From  Monterey  northward,  a  thick 
fog  commences  on  the  cessation  of  the  rains,  and 
continues  till  the  month  of  August.  During  this 
period  the  fog  prevails  almost  daily  in  the  morning, 
but  during  the  rest  of  the  year  the  sky  is  beautifully 
clear  and  serene. 

The  degree  of  temperature  in  a  country  extending 
through  so  many  degrees  of  latitude,  and  possessing 
such  a  variety  of  surface,  must  vary  much  in  differ- 
ent places.  I  regret  that  I  possess  no  accurate  data 
to  fix  this.  In  the  month  of  December  (1826),  it 
is  stated  by  Captain  Beechey  that  the  mean  tempera- 


TOPOGRAPHY  165 

[5J.2=f] 

ture  of  San  Francisco  was  53°  2\ — the  maximum 
66°,  and  the  minimum  46° ;  and  the  hygrometer  is 
said  to  have  indicated  a  dry  atmosphere. 

The  surface  of  the  country  is  considerably  varied 
in  different  districts,  being  in  some  places  elevated 
into  ranges  of  low  hills,  in  others  spreading  out  into 
extensive  plains.  The  hills  vary  from  one  thousand 
to  upwards  of  three  thousand  feet  in  height.  Some 
seem  chiefly  composed  of  sandstone.  The  soil  is,  in 
some  places,  of  a  light,  sandy  character,  yet  far  from 
sterile  ;  in  others,  of  the  richest  loam.  In  some 
spots  the  surface  is  marshy,  but  the  prevailing  char- 
acter of  the  soil  is  dryness.  Indeed,  the  chief  defect 
of  the  country  is  the  infrequency  of  springs 
and  rivers,  although  this  infrequency  is  far  from 
amounting  to  a  serious  obstacle  to  agriculture,  or 
even  to  extreme  fertility.  Water  can  be  obtained, 
in  most  places,  by  digging,  and  the  plains  between 
the  mountains  and  the  shore  are  here  and  there 
intersected  by  small  streams,  on  the  banks  of  which 
most  of  the  missions  are  founded.  The  largest 
rivers  are  those  which  run  into  the  Bay  of  San 
Francisco,  and  arise  from  the  north,  the  northeast, 
and  the  southeast.  The  largest  of  these  —  the  Sac- 
ramento —  has  been  traced  some  hundred  miles 
upwards  to  the  northeast,  where  it  was  found  still 
a  large  river.  It  is  supposed  by  some  to  flow  out  of  a 
large  lake,  but  this  point  remains  yet  unascertained. 


166  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

It  is  navigable,  at  least  by  boats,  to  a  great  distance 
inland.  The  San  Joaquin,  also  of  considerable  size, 
rises  in  the  distant  mountains  in  the  southeast. 

The  Jesus  Maria  empties  itself  into  the  Sacra- 
mento, at  some  distance  from  its  mouth.  It  is  also 
navigable  by  boats  to  a  considerable  distance.  It 
flows  from  the  south  and  east,  through  a  country 
said  to  be  of  great  fertility,  and  susceptible  of  irriga- 
tion by  it.  The  other  rivers  are  much  smaller,  and, 
indeed,  most  of  them  are  only  rivulets.  Most  of 
them  water  different  missions,  and  derive  their 
names  from  them.  They  are,  Rio  del  Rancho 
(which  flows  into  the  Bay  of  Monterey),  El  Pajaro, 
San  Carlos,  Santa  Clara,  San  Gabriel,  Santa  Ana, 
Los  Angeles,  San  Juan  Capistrano,  Santa  Cruz, 
Santa   Ines,    San    Buenaventura. 

California  possesses  several  harbors,  and  one,  at 
least,    of   great   excellence. 

San  Francisco  is  not  only  the  principal  port 
in  California,  but  the  largest  and  safest  on  the 
whole  western  coast  of  America.  It  is  an  arm  of 
the  sea,  or  bay,  which  runs  a  considerable  distance 
inland,  and  is  accessible  by  a  narrow  but  deep  and 
safe  entrance.  It  divides  itself  inside  into  various 
wide  branches,  so  as  to  make  it  one  of  the  most 
capacious   harbors   in   the   world. 

Monterey  is  only  an  open  bay,  or  roadstead, 
but    is    safe    from    almost    all    winds.      This    station. 


^^ 


O 

< 


0. 

< 

33 

-< 


V3 


.__ii^ 


TOPOGRAPHY  167 

being  more  centrical  than  San  Francisco  or  San 
Diego,  has  been  hitherto  the  place  of  chief  resort 
for  foreign  vessels,  and  has  been  considered  as  the 
capital  of  Upper  California;  but  if  the  country  around 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  was  peopled  and  cultivated, 
that  port  would  be  the  most  convenient  for  the 
foreign  commerce  of  the  country,  it  being,  in  all 
respects,  so  much  superior  to  the  others. 

The  canal  of  Santa  Barbara,  as  it  is  called,  that 
is,  the  strait  between  the  island  of  Santa  Cruz  and 
the  mainland,  near  the  mission  of  Santa  Barbara,  is 
also  much  frequented  ;  and  although  it  is  not 
considered  a  very  safe  anchorage,  yet  vessels  often 
discharge  and  take  in  their  cargoes  there.  The 
Bay  of  Santa  Barbara  is  completely  sheltered  from 
the  northwest  and  westerly  winds,  but  exposed 
to  the  S.  E.  and  S.  W.  The  anchorage  is  very 
indifferent,  being  all  hard  sand.  The  best  anchor- 
age is  about  half  a  mile  off  the  outer  head,  which 
forms  the  little  bay  where  the  landing  -  place  is. 
There  is  no  kind  of  tide  or  current  here,  but 
there  appears  occasionally  to  be  a  rise  and  fall  of 
two   or  three  feet. 

San  Diego  is  a  good  harbor,  and  very  secure. 
It  is  quite  sufficient  for  the  reception  of  merchant 
vessels,  but  is  of  much  less  capacity  than  San  Fran- 
cisco. This  harbor  runs  a  considerable  distance 
inland,  and  is  very  convenient   and   commodious   for 


168  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

commerce.  About  one  mile  within  the  mouth, 
there  is  good  anchorage  in  ten  fathoms  water.  The 
tide  here  runs  four  times  in  the  twenty-four  hours, — 
six  hours  flood  and  six  ebb.  The  port  extends  to  a 
considerable  distance  to  the  eastward,  where  there 
is  a  channel  in  the  center,  of  four  or  five  fathoms 
water  all  along.  The  sand-banks  run  off  on  each 
side  about  a  cable's -length,  and  are,  in  part,  dry 
at  low  water.  There  is  no  water  to  be  got  here, 
except  at  the  presidio.  It  is  brought  down  to  the 
beach  in  carts. 

Port  San  Pedro  is  a  very  extensive  bay,  being 
sixteen  miles  from  point  to  point.  It  is  difficult 
for  a  stranger  to  find  the  best  anchorage,  as  it  is 
not  indicated  on  the  ordinary  charts.  There  is  no 
kind  of  mark  whatever  on  the  shore,  the  nearest 
house  being  four  leagues  off,  half-way  to  the  mission 
of  San  Gabriel.  The  best  anchorage  —  and  that 
which  all  vessels  trading  with  the  mission  occupy  — 
is  close  under  the  N.  W.  point  of  the  bay,  about 
half  a  mile  from  a  large  rock,  which  is  inshore,  and 
about  one  mile  from  the  beach.  There  is  good 
holding  -  ground  of  stiff  mud,  in  four  and  a  half 
fathoms,  at  a  place  from  which  the  point  bears 
S.  half-west,  the  rock  N.  E.,  and  the  landing-place 
W.  N.  W. 

San  Juan. — The  anchorage  of  this  bay  (lat.  33° 
33',  long.  117°  120  is  close  under  the  western  head. 


TOPOGRAPHY  169 

Care  must  be  taken,  in  coming  to  anchor  in  the 
night,  to  round  the  head  (if  coming  from  the  north- 
westward) about  a  mile  distant,  as  there  are  several 
very  dangerous  rocks  some  distance  from  it,  nearly 
level  with  the  water.  It  is  difficult  landing  when 
the  wind  blows  from  the  S.  E.,  on  account  of  the 
high  surf  ;  but  when  the  wind  is  westerly  and 
N.  W.,  it  is  quite  smooth.  The  anchorage  is  good 
throughout  the  bay;  the  ground,  a  mixture  of  sand 
and  mud  in  five  fathoms. 

All  travelers  in  this  country  have  been  struck 
with  its  fertility  and  beauty,  but  especially  with 
its  fertility.  In  many  places,  however,  even  where 
the  valleys  and  plains  are  fertile,  the  hills  are  bleak 
and  bare ;  and  on  the  coast,  in  many  places,  as 
in  the  neighborhood  of  San  Francisco,  the  sea- 
winds  and  fogs  blast  the  foliage  of  all  the  trees 
in  exposed  situations.  Captain  Beechey  compares 
the  effect  to  that  produced  by  the  same  cause 
in  Shetland.  It  is  probably  more  analogous  to 
that  observed  in  Cornwall.  More  inland,  nothing 
of  the  kind  is  seen  ;  but  a  succession  of  scenes 
which  are  indeed  most  delightful  to  the  traveler, 
whether  he  has  come  from  the  arid  wilds  of  the 
south,  the  bleak  north,  or  from  the  ocean.  Such 
scenes  were  not  lost  on  Vancouver  when  he  visited 
this  coast.  In  his  account  of  a  journey  from  Mon- 
terey (to  Santa  Clara,  he  notices   many  such.     *'We 


170  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

considered  our  route  (he  says)  to  be  parallel  to  the 
sea-coast,  between  which  and  our  path  the  ridge  of 
mountains  extended  to  the  southeastward  ;  and  as 
we  advanced,  their  sides  and  summits  exhibited  a 
high  degree  of  luxuriant  fertility,  interspersed  with 
copses  of  various  forms  and  magnitude,  verdant 
open  spaces,  and  enriched  with  stately  forest  trees 
of  different  descriptions.  About  noon,  we  arrived 
at  a  very  pleasant  and  enchanting  lawn,  situated 
amidst  a  grove  of  trees  at  the  foot  of  a  small  hill, 
by  which  flowed  a  very  fine  stream  of  excellent 
water.  We  had  not  proceeded  far  from  this  delight- 
ful spot,  when  we  entered  a  country  I  little  expected 
to  find  in  these  regions.  For  about  twenty  miles 
it  could  only  be  compared  to  a  park  which  had 
originally  been  closely  planted  with  the  true  old 
English  oak  ;  the  underwood,  that  had  probably 
attended  its  early  growth,  had  the  appearance  of 
having  been  cleared  away,  and  had  left  the  stately 
lords  of  the  forest  in  complete  possession  of  the 
soil,  which  was  covered  with  luxuriant  herbage,  and 
beautifully  diversified  with  pleasing  eminences  and 
valleys,  which,  with  the  range  of  lofty  rugged  moun- 
tains that  bounded  the  prospect,  required  only  to  be 
adorned  with  the  neat  habitations  of  an  industrious 
people  to  produce  a  scene  not  inferior  to  the  most 
studied  effect,  of  taste  in  the  disposal  of  grounds."  * 

*  Vancouver's    Voyage,    vol.    ii,    p.    17. 


TOPOGRAPHY  171 

When  it  is  considered  that  this  was  in  November, 
the  beauty  of  the  scenery  is  not  a  little  enhanced. 
"  New  California  (says  Humboldt)  is  as  well  watered 
and  fertile  as  Old  California  is  arid  and  stony. 
The  climate  is  much  more  mild  than  in  the  same 
latitude  on  the  eastern  coast  of  the  new  continent. 
The  frequent  fogs  give  vigor  to  vegetation  and  fertilize 
the  soil,  which  is  covered  with  a  black  and  spongy 
earth."  This  last  observation  is  only  partially  true, 
as  will  appear  from  what  is  stated  above. 

Respecting  the  extreme  fertility  of  the  soil,  all 
observers  accord  with  Laperouse,  and  also  as  to 
its  singular  aptitude  for  the  growth  not  only  of 
European  productions,  but  of  those  of  the  warmer 
regions  of  the  earth.  In  the  garden  at  the  mission  of 
[San]  Buenaventura,  Vancouver  was  alike  struck  with 
"the  quality,  quantity,  and  variety  of  its  excellent 
productions,  not  only  indigenous  to  the  country, 
but  appertaining  to  the  temperate  as  well  as  torrid 
zone  ;  not  one  species  having  yet  been  sown  or 
planted  that  had  not  flourished  and  yielded  its  fruit 
in  abundance  and  of  excellent  quality."  "These  (he 
adds)  have  principally  consisted  of  apples,  pears, 
plums,  figs,  oranges,  grapes,  peaches,  and  pome- 
granates, together  with  the  plantain,  banana,  cocoa- 
nut,  sugar-cane,  indigo,  and  a  great  variety  of  the 
necessary  and  useful  kitchen  -  herbs,  plants,  and 
roots."  *     It  would   not   be   easy  to    match   such   an 

*  Vancouver's    Voyage,    vol.    ii,    p.    494. 


172  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

assemblage  as  this  elsewhere  ;  and  yet  this  is  only  a 
part  of  the  useful  fruits  and  vegetables  now  culti- 
vated in  California.  We  shall  defer  what  we  have 
to  say  of  its  farinaceous  products  until  we  come  to 
speak  of  the  state  of  agriculture.  The  object  of  the 
present  sketch  being  mainly  economical,  or  commer- 
cial and  statistical,  it  never  was  my  intention  to 
notice  matters  foreign  to  this,  however  interesting. 
Had  it  been  otherwise,  I  should  have  greatly 
regretted  my  inability  to  give  any  account  of  the 
natural  history  of  California,  which  remains  a  rich 
and  almost  untrodden  field  for  future  inquiries.  I 
will  merely  put  down  here  a  few  observations  which 
my  scanty  materials  and  imperfect  knowledge  enable 
me  to  make. 

The  country  abounds  with  trees,  which  grow  not 
only  in  detached  groups  or  clumps  on  the  plains 
and  valleys,  but  spread  out  into  extensive  forests. 
They  grow  to  a  large  size,  and  are  of  various  kinds, 
some  resembling  those  of  Europe,  others  peculiar  to 
the  country.  Of  the  former  kind  are  the  oak,  elm, 
ash,  beech,  birch,  planes,  and  various  varieties  of 
pine.  These  last,  and  the  oak,  of  which  there  are 
several  varieties,  are  the  most  plentiful,  and  grow  to 
the  greatest  size.  The  number  and  variety  of  shrubs 
are  great,  but  the  stock  of  indigenous  trees  bearing 
fruit  is  very  small. 

An  indigenous  variety  of  vine  was  found  by  the 
early  settlers,  yielding   grapes  of   a  considerable   size. 


TOPOGRAPHY  173 

but  not  ripening  to  sweetness.  The  fathers  intro- 
duced the  true  wine-grape  {Vitis  vinifera),  which 
had  long  flourished  in  the  Old  California.  Indeed, 
in  many  parts  of  California  the  native  vine  is  so 
plentiful,  and  its  produce  so  abundant,  that  brandy 
is  now  made  from  them  in  considerable  quantity. 
The  latitude  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  corresponds 
almost  exactly  with  that  of  Lisbon,  and  is  conse- 
quently not  very  much  to  the  northward  of  Bor- 
deaux ;  other  parts  of  the  country  correspond  in 
latitude  with  Madeira,  and,  in  the  opposite  hemi- 
sphere, with  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ;  so  that  this 
country  embraces  the  analogues,  at  least,  of  the 
most  celebrated  wine  countries  in  the  world,  and 
consequently  offers  a  wide  and  most  promising  field 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  grape  in  all  its  varieties. 

The  missionaries,  long  ago,  also  introduced  the 
European  olive,  which  is  successfully  cultivated  for 
its  oil. 

The  country  is  singularly  free  from  underwood, — a 
circumstance  which  renders  traveling  through  even 
the  uncultivated  parts  much  easier  than  in  many 
other   wild   countries. 

No  minerals  of  particular  importance  have  been 
found  in  Upper  California,  nor  any  ores  of  metals. 
There  are,  however,  a  variety  of  rocks  suited  for 
building,  as  well  as  limestone  slabs  fit  for  paving, 
and   plenty   of   clay  for   making   bricks. 


174  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

The  country  abounds  with  animals,  both  indi- 
genous and  imported.  Of  the  former,  a  few  are 
peculiar  to  that  part  of  America,  but  the  majority 
are  found  in  the  countries  lying  to  the  north  and 
south  of  it.  Among  the  indigenous  animals  are 
found  the  American  Hon  {Felis  concokr),  the  Ameri- 
can tiger  {Felis  onca)y  buffaloes,  stags,  roes,  the 
wild  mountain  -  cat,  foxes,  bears,  polecats,  jackals, 
hares,  rabbits,  field -rats,  &c.,  &c.  The  great  tame- 
ness  of  some  of  these  animals,  the  facility  with 
which  some  are  caught,  and  the  reacquired  wild- 
ness  of  others,  show  at  once  their  number  and 
how  little  civilization  has  extended  in  the  country. 
**  Numerous  herds  of  horses  and  cattle  (says  Langs- 
dorff)  were  running  wild  here,  without  any  attention 
being  paid  to  them  ;  the  horned  cattle  even  render 
the  country  not  very  safe  for  foot-passengers. 
Besides  the  herds,  we  met  a  great  number  of  foxes, 
and  a  large  wolf,  which  ran  away  frightened. 
The  foxes  appeared  to  live  upon  the  most  friendly 
terms  with  the  young  calves,  and  followed  the  cows 
about  as  if  they  had  been  equally  their  children." 
"We  often  amused  ourselves  (he  says  in  another 
place)  with  shooting  the  crested  partridges  and  the 
rabbits  which  abound  upon  the  sand-hills  near  the 
shore.  One  day,  we  went,  accompanied  by  twelve 
people,  and  conducted  by  thirty  or  forty  Indians,  to 
catch  hares  and  rabbits  by  a  sort  of  snaring,  when, 


TOPOGRAPHY  175 

in  three  hours,  without  firing  a  shot,  we  had  taken 
seventy-five,  and  most  of  them  aUve."  * 

Of  the  indigenous  quadrupeds,  two  of  the  most 
interesting  is  that  termed  by  the  Spaniards  berendo, 
and  a  very  large  deer,  which  has  been  supposed 
by  travelers  to  be  the  reindeer,  but  which  is  the 
elk  or  moose-deer  of  North  America.  The  animal 
termed  berendo  is  also  a  native  of  Old  California, 
where  it  is  termed,  by  the  natives,  taye,  .  '*  It  is 
(says  Venegas)  about  the  bigness  of  a  calf  a  year 
and  a  half  old,  and  greatly  resembles  it  in  figure, 
except  in  its  head,  which  is  like  that  of  a  deer,  and 
the  horns  very  thick,  resembling  those  of  a  ram;  its 
hoof  large,  round,  and  cloven;  its  tail  short."  This 
animal  is  the  arga/i,  a  species  which  seems  inter- 
mediate between  the  goat  and  the  sheep.  The 
Calif ornian  species  is  the  American  argali,  Ovis 
pygargus  of  Cuvier.  They  still  abound  in  the  plains 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  are  always  found 
in  large  herds.  This  animal  is  probably  only  a 
variety  of  the  Asiatic  argali,  so  plentiful  in  north  and 
central  Asia.  The  roe  abounds.  The  large  deer  are 
now  become  scarce  in  California,  being  driven  from 
their  haunts  by  the  herds  of  European  cattle ;  but 
they  are  still  hunted  for  the  sake  of  their  hides  and 
tallow,  the  latter  being  of  very  excellent  quality, 
much    superior   to    that   of   oxen.      They   were   very 

*  LangsdorfF:   Voyages  and  Travels,  vol.   ii,  pp.    179,   192. 


176  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

plentiful  when  the  country  was  first  visited  by  the 
Spaniards.  A  large  herd,  we  are  told  by  Father 
Palou,  was  encountered  by  Father  Serra  on  his  first 
journey  from  Monterey  to  [San]  Francisco,  in  the  great 
plain  of  San  Bernardino.  The  Spaniards,  he  says, 
at  first  took  them  for  European  cattle,  and  marveled 
not  a  little  how  they  came  there.  But  they  soon 
found  out  they  were  deer,  and  the  soldiers  of  the 
party  contrived  to  shoot  several  of  them.  They 
found  their  horns  to  measure  no  less  than  eleven 
feet  from  tip  to  tip.  Another  large  animal,  termed 
by  the  natives  cibolo^  is  the  wild  American  ox,  or 
bison.  It  is  also  now  banished  to  the  wilds,  but  is 
sought  by  the  hunter  for  its  skin,  which  is  dressed 
in  a  particular  manner,  with  the  hair  on,  and  is  used 
in  many  parts  of  Spanish  America  as  a  sort  of  bed 
or  carpet. 

The  otter  and  beaver  are  still  to  be  found  on  all 
the  rivers,  lakes,  and  bays,  but  their  numbers  have 
greatly  decreased  since  the  country  has  become 
more  settled.  Even  during  the  last  twenty  or  thirty 
years  the  diminution  of  these  animals  is  most 
marked.  When  Langsdorff's  ship  was  lying  in  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco  in  1804,  he  says  "the  valu- 
able sea-otter  was  swimming  about  the  bay  in  num- 
bers, nearly  unheeded ' ' ;  and  when  Laperouse  was 
there  he  calculated  the  annual  power  of  supply  of 
the    presidency   of    Monterey   alone   at    10,000   skins 


TOPOGRAPHY  177 

of  this  animal,*  and  he  was  assured  that  double  that 
quantity  might  be  furnished  by  the  whole  country,  f 
The  Indians,  at  that  time,  caught  the  otters  in  snares, 
on  land,  or  knocked  them  down  with  sticks,  their 
want  of  any  other  boats  than  balsas  making  them  very 
inexpert  fishermen  by  sea.  In  1824,  Captain  Beechey 
estimated  the  annual  export  of  skins  at  2,000.  Now 
the  quantity  is  probably  less  than  even  this ;  but  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  amount  of  produce  might 
be  greatly  increased  by  a  better  system  of  hunting. 
Nothing  can  show  the  ignorance  and  folly  that  prevail 
in  this  country  respecting  all  matters  of  commerce, 
more  than  the  fact  stated  by  this  traveler,  that,  at  the 
period  of  his  visit,  the  inhabitants  were  actually 
buying  otter-skins  of  the  Russians  at  twenty  dollars 
apiece,  while  the  animals  were  swimming  about 
unmolested   in   their   own   harbors  ! 

We  will  defer  any  account  of  the  domestic  Euro- 
pean animals  until  we  come  to  speak  of  the  agri- 
culture and  commerce. 

The  feathered  tribes,  both  of  the  land  and  water, 
are  found  in  very  great  abundance.  Some  few  are 
peculiar  to  California,  but  the  majority  are  found 
either  in  the  countries  that  lie  to  the  south  or  north 
of  it;  but,  as  Captain  Beechey  observes,  ** there  are 
not  many  which  delight  either  by  the  brilliancy  or 
beauty  of  their  plumage,  or  by  the  melody  of  their 

*  Voyage,    vol.    iii,    p.    307.  t  lb.,  vol.    ii,    p.    227. 

12  N 


178  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

note."  This  general  character  of  the  birds  curi- 
ously indicates  the  character  of  the  country  as 
intermediate  between  the  tropical  regions,  where 
the  brightness  and  variety  of  the  plumage  of  birds 
are  so  remarkable,  and  the  colder  climates  of  the 
north,  which  have  such  a  delightful  compensation 
for  the  soberer  colors  of  their  birds  in  the  excel- 
lence of  their  song.  The  following  list,  chiefly 
taken  from  Laperouse,  Vancouver,  Langsdorff,  and 
Beechey,  comprehends  all  the  more  common  birds. 
I  set  them  down  without  any  particular  order. 
White-headed  eagle,  black  vulture,  great  and  small 
falcon,  goshawk,  .  sparrow-hawk,  large -horn  owl, 
raven,  magpie,  crane,  curlew,  crow,  oriole,  wood- 
pecker, goatsucker,  golden -crested  wren,  bee-eater, 
partridge,  quail,  jay,  wood-pigeon,  plover,  snipe, 
razorbill,  humming-bird,  crane,  goose,  duck,  cor- 
morant, pelican,   heron,  water-hen,  shag,  &c. 

The  small-tufted  partridges,  peculiar  to  California, 
are  most  plentiful  in  the  plains.  They  keep  together 
in  large  flocks  of  three  or  four  hundred,  and  are 
excellent  eating..  Some  of  the  species  of  sea-birds 
exist  in  immense  abundance.  Captain  Beechey  says 
that  a  species  of  wild  goose,  which  came  from 
the  north  in  November,  may  be  seen  * '  covering 
whole  acres  of  ground,  or  rising  in  myriads  with 
a  clang  that  may  be  heard  at  a  very  considerable 
distance." 


TOPOGRAPHY  179 

The  inhabitants  of  Upper  CaUfornia,  like  those  of 
the  Lower,  seem  little  regardful  of  the  exhaustless 
stores  of  food  contained  in  the  waters  of  their  shores. 
In  the  former  (certainly  not  in  the  latter).  Captain 
Beechey's  explanation  of  the  fact  may  be  admissible; 
viz.,  that  "fish  are  not  much  sought  after,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  productions  of  the  land  being  so 
very  abundant."  "Several  sorts,  however,  (he  adds,) 
are  brought  to  the  tables  of  the  missions.  In  the 
Bay  of  Monterey  we  noticed  the  Scomber  colias  and 
another  kind  of  mackerel,  the  torpedo  and  another 
species  of  Kaia^  a  Chimcera,  and  swarms  of  small  fish 
resembling  the  sardine.  Mussels  are  found  in  con- 
siderable quantities  upon  the  shores,  and  form  a 
large  portion  of  the  food  of  the  Indians  bordering 
upon  the  coasts  and  rivers.  At  Monterey,  two 
species  of  Haiiotis,  of  large  size,  are  also  extremely 
abundant,  and  equally  sought  after  by  the  Indians. 
They  are  found  on  the  granite  rocks  forming  the 
southeast  part  of  the  bay,  which  appears  to  be  their 
northern  limit.  The  natives  make  use  of  these 
shells  for  ornaments,  and  decorate  their  baskets 
with  pieces  of  them.  Besides  these  shell-iish,  there 
were  noticed  a  few  Patei/a,  limpet,  Turbo^  Cardium, 
and  Mya  shells,  and,  among  other  Lepas,  a  rare  species 
of  Lepas  anatifera,  and  a   Chiton  {tunicatusl).''  * 

*  Vol.    ii,    p.    83. 

N  2 


CHAPTER    IV 

SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  THE    ORIGINAL  INHABITANTS    OF  UPPER 
CALIFORNIA.— THEIR    MANNERS   AND    CUSTOMS 

Upper  California,  when  first  visited  by  the  Span- 
iards, was,  as  we  have  already  seen,  inhabited  by 
the  same  race  of  men  as  the  lower  province.  The 
natives  of  Upper  California,  however,  varied  some- 
what, both  in  their  physical  characters  and  customs, 
from  those  of  their  southern  brethren,  but  hardly 
more  than  they  differed  from  one  another  in  differ- 
ent districts.  They  were  acknowledged  by  all  to 
be  a  timid  and  feeble  race,  compared  with  the 
hardy  red  men  of  the  northeastern  parts  of  North 
America  ;  but  remarkable  variations  as  to  their 
physical  character,  in  regard  to  size  more  especially, 
prevail  amongst  them.  Hence,  although  the  gen- 
eral testimony  of  observers  gives  them  the  above 
character,  such  striking  exceptions  are  noticed  that 
some  have  been  led  to  give  to  the  whole  population  a 
different  character.     Thus  Venegas,  in  speaking  of  the 

18(1 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  181 

natives  of  the  southern  province,  says :  * '  Of  all  the 
natives  hitherto  discovered,  the  Calif ornians  are,  at 
least,  equal  to  any  in  the  make  of  their  bodies." 
Captain  Beechey  says  :  ' '  The  stature  of  the  Indians 
whom  we  saw  in  the  missions  was  by  no  means 
diminutive.  The  Alchedoma  are  of  good  height, 
and  the  Tularenos  were  thought  to  be,  generally, 
above  the  standard  of  Englishmen."  On  the  contrary, 
Laperouse  describes  them  as,  in  general,  small  and 
weak.  M.  Rollin,  his  surgeon,  although  he  says  they 
are  taller  than  the  Chilian  Indians,  yet  gives  the 
average  height  as  five  feet  two  and  a  half  inches. 
Langsdorff  says  none  of  the  men  seen  by  him  were 
above  five  feet.  They  are  of  a  considerably  darker 
color  than  the  natives  of  the  provinces  more  to  the 
south,  and  what  with  their  filthy  habits  and  constant 
exposure  to  the  sun,  they  approach  the  hue  of  the 
negro.  They  resemble  the  negro  also  in  their  large, 
projecting  lips,  and  broad  and  flat  noses.  Their 
hair,  however,  is  very  different  from  that  of  the 
negro,  being  long  and  straight,  not  crisp.  If  left  to 
grow,  it  hangs  down  to  the  hips,  but  they  commonly 
cut  it  to  the  length  of  four  or  five  inches,  which 
makes  it  stick  out  like  quills.  The  hair  grows 
very  far  down  towards  the  eyes,  which  makes  their 
naturally  low  forehead  look  extremely  low.  The  eye- 
brows are,  in  general,  small,  though  in  some  bushy. 
The  beard  is  also,  in  general,  very  scanty,  although 


182  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

occasionally  a  full,  flowing  beard  is  observed,  the 
causes  of  the  difference  not  being  well  known. 

Our  earliest  authority — Father  Palou — notices  the 
difference  of  color  between  the  tribes  on  the  two 
sides  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  and  also  the  con- 
trast between  the  Upper  and  Lower  Californians  in 
the  mode  of  wearing  their  hair.  He  also  considers 
this  custom,  as  also  that  of  sprinkling  ashes  on  the 
body,  as  partly  dependent  on  causes  of  temporary 
occurrence.  '*A11  the  natives  of  Upper  California, 
(he  says,)  both  men  and  women,  cut  their  hair  very 
short,  particularly  when  any  of  their  relations  or 
friends  die.  In  these  cases  they  also  put  ashes  on 
their  heads,  faces,  and  other  parts  of  their  bodies. 
This  practice  of  throwing  ashes  on  their  persons 
was  general  among  all  the  nations  which  had  been 
reduced  under  the  dominion  of  the  Spaniards,  but 
those  in  the  south  never  cut  their  hair.  On  the 
contrary,  they  seem  to  have  great  pride  in  its  abun- 
dance, and  stick  beads  and  other  ornaments  into 
wreaths  of  it  bound  round  their  heads.  They  are 
also  in  the  habit  of  painting  themselves  in  party- 
colored  stripes  of  red  and  black ;  and  this  is  also 
an  emblem  of  mourning  for  their  friends,  for  whom 
they  seem  to  entertain  strong  affections." 

Laperouse  doubts  whether  the  scantiness  of  beard 
so  generally  seen  is  natural  or  the  effect  of  art. 
We    believe    that    it    is    partly    natural,    but    chiefly 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  183 

the  effect  of  art  ;  and  they  apply  the  same  depilatory 
process  to  other  parts  of  the  body.  These  people 
also  tattoo  their  bodies,  but  in  a  much  less  degree 
than  the  Indians  of  the  islands,  and  the  practice  is 
chiefly  confined  to  the  women.  They  turn  their 
toes  inwards  in  walking ;  and  their  timid  carriage,  at 
first  sight,  announces  their  pusillanimous  character. 
Both  sexes,  in  their  native  state,  go  nearly  naked, 
having  only  a  wrapper,  of  greater  or  less  extent, 
around  the  waist.  In  the  winter,  however,  they  use 
a  sort  of  outer  garment  of  deerskin  or  otter- skin, 
or  of  the  feathers  of  water-fowl.  These  latter  are 
chiefly  worn  by  the  women,  and  are  rather  inge- 
niously constructed.  The  feathers  are  twisted  and 
tied  together  into  a  sort  of  rope,  and  these  are 
then  tied  close  together  so  as  to  have  a  feathery 
surface  on  both  sides.  They  twist  strips  of  otter- 
skins  in  the  same  manner,  so  as  to  have  the  fur  on 
both  sides. 

Like  all  savages,  they  are  fond  of  ornaments  for 
their  persons.  These  consist  of  bits  of  carved  wood, 
worn  as  ear-rings ;  bandeaux  of  feathers  around  the 
head;  shells  rounded  and  strung  as  beads;  &c.,  &c. 
Their  feather  bandeaux  are  sometimes  very  beauti- 
ful, and  the  acquisition  of  the  materials  of  some 
of  them  must  be  a  work  of  great  labor.  Langs- 
dorff  counted  in  one  450  tail-feathers  of  the  golden- 
winged  woodpecker,  and  as  there  are  only  two  of 
these  in  each  bird,   that  are  used,   half   the  number 


184  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

of    birds    must    have    been    killed    to    make    up    the 
wreath. 

The   moral   qualities  of  these  people  are  certainly 
not  beyond  the  range  of  their  physical,  although  in 
judging  of  these  we  must  neither  take  the  estimate 
from   the   early   reports   of  the   Spaniards,    nor  from'^X 
the   reports   of   travelers   who   have   seen    them   only  y 
in    their    domesticated    state.      The    Spaniards    have    • 
always   been   anxious   to   establish  a  low   estimate   of    ' 
their  mental  powers,  as  a  reason  and  excuse  for  their  7 
manner  of  treating  them.     Still,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  the  Californians  are,  as  formerly  stated,  a  feeble-  '^ 
hearted    and    feeble-minded    race.     '*It   is   not   easy    " 
(says    Father   Venegas)    for    Europeans,    who    were 
never    out    of    their    own    country,    to    conceive    an 
adequate    idea    of    these    people  ;     for,    even    in    the 
least  -  frequented    corners   of   the    globe,    there   is   not 
a   nation   so   stupid,    of    such    contracted    ideas,    and 
weak,    both    in    body    and    mind,    as    the    unhappy 
Californians.     Their  characteristics   are   stupidity  and 
insensibility  ;     want    of    knowledge    and    reflection  ; 
inconstancy,   impetuosity,   and   blindness  of  appetite ; 
an  excessive  sloth,  and  abhorrence  of  all  fatigue;   an 
incessant   love  of   pleasure   and   amusement   of   every 
kind,   however  trifling   or   brutal ;  — in   fine,  a  most 
wretched   want  of   everything  which   constitutes   the 
real  man,  and  renders  him  rational,  inventive,  tract- 
able, and  useful  to  himself  and  society." 

In   accordance  with   this  view  of  the  character  of 


X 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  185 

the  natives,  the  Spaniards  in  the  missions  are  in  the 
habit  of  applying  the  degrading  epithet  of  beasts 
(^bestias)  to  the  wild  or  unconverted  natives,  while 
they  assume  to  themselves,  and  even  to  their  con- 
vertites,  the  term  which  has  generally  been  supposed 
to  belong  to  the  whole  human  family,  viz.,  rational 
creatures  {gente  de  razon).  Certain  it  is  that 
they,  at  least,  have  none  of  that  boldness  and 
independence  of  character,  and  very  little  of  that 
activity,  industry,  and  perseverance,  which  distin- 
guish the  Indians  nearer  the  pole.  Even  the  tribes 
only  a  few  degrees  to  the  north  are  much  more 
ingenious  and  enterprising,  —  indeed,  in  every  way 
more   civilized. 

The  whole  of  the  Indians  at  present  inhabiting 
the  vast  plains  of  the  Tulares,  as  well  as  those  on  the 
Rio  Colorado  and  to  the  northeast,  are  of  the  same 
race  as  those  which  formerly  inhabited  the  coast,  and 
whose  children  are  now  the  subjects  or  slaves  of  the 
missionaries.  They  seem  to  have  made  no  advances 
towards  civilization  since  the  first  discovery  of  their 
country.  Although  they  possess  so  favored  a  portion 
of  the  earth,  they  almost  entirely  neglect  tillage,  and 
live  by  the  chase  and  spontaneous  productions  of 
the  fields  and  forest.  A  trifling  exception  must, 
indeed,  be  made  in  favor  of  those  who  live  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  Spanish  settlements,  as 
they  now  possess  some  cattle  and  horses.     The  wild 


186  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Indians  are  divided  into  small  tribes,  which  wage 
frequent  wars  with  each  other,  chiefly,  it  is  believed, 
on  account  of  disputes  respecting  the  boundaries 
of  the  districts  wherein  they  respectively  claim  the 
exclusive  right  of  hunting,  and  gathering  fruits  and 
other  means  of  subsistence.  Their  numbers,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  extent  of  the  country  they  inhabit, 
are,  like  those  of  all  tribes  in  such  a  stage  of  civili- 
zation, or  rather  uncivilization,  very  small. 

Their  habitations  are  small  round  huts  of  rushes,  v/ 
of  a  temporary  character,  erected  where  they  halt 
for  a  season,  and  burnt  when  they  change  their 
station.  Their  huts  are  well  described  by  Captain 
Beechey,  as  well  as  the  wretched  condition  of  the 
inmates.  "They  were  about  thirty -five  feet  in 
circumference,  constructed  with  pliable  poles  fixed 
in  the  ground,  and  drawn  together  at  the  top,  to 
the  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet.  They  are  then 
interwoven  with  small  twigs  and  covered  with 
bulrushes,  having  an  aperture  at  the  side  to  admit 
the  inhabitants,  and  another  at  the  top  to  let  out  the 
smoke.  The  exterior  appearance  of  these  wretched 
wigwams  greatly  resembles  a  beehive.  In  each 
dwelling  are  nine  or  ten  Indians,  of  both  sexes  and 
of  all  ages,  nearly  in  a  state  of  nudity,  huddled 
round  a  fire  kindled  in  the  center  of  the  apartment, 
a  prey  to  vermin,  and  presenting  a  picture  of 
misery  and  wretchedness  seldom  beheld  in  even  the 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  187 

most  savage  state  of  society."  Although  this  picture 
is  taken  from  a  tribe  of  Indians  that  had  left  wIM 
life  and  voluntarily  come  in  to  one  of  the  missions. 
Captain  Beechey  or  his  companions  were  given 
to  understand  that  this  was  the  state  in  which  they 
live  when  free.  It  is  to  be  believed,  however,  that 
these  people,  thus  coming  voluntarily  to  join  the 
mission,  had  been  previously  sophisticated  from 
their  native  wild  habits  by  the  vicinity  of  the 
strangers. 

"It  is  true  (says  old  Venegas)  that  they  stand  in 
no  need  of  large  rooms  for  depositing  their  furniture, 
and  the  various  articles  of  their  wardrobe,  by  which 
the  greatest  part  of  our  houses  is  taken  up.  In 
removing,  they  take  all  their  furniture  on  their 
shoulders  ;  for  they  consist  only  of  a  chest,  a  dish, 
a  bowl  made  in  the  shape  of  a  high-crowned  hat,  a 
bone  which  serves  them  for  an  awl  in  making  it, 
a  little  piece  of  touchwood  for  kindling  a  fire,  a 
small  net  in  which  they  put  their  fruit  and  seeds, 
another,  in  the  shape  of  a  purse  or  bag  fastened  to 
a  kind  of  prong  across  their  shoulders,  in  which 
they  carry  their  children,  and  lastly,  their  bow  and 
arrows, — to  which  some,  who  affect  elegancy,  add  a 
shell  for  drinking.  Those  who  live  near  the  coasts 
have  also  nets  for  fishing.  This  furniture  the 
women  carry  when  they  remove  from  one  place  to 
another.     The  men  have  only  the  bow  and  arrows, 


188  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

with  their  appurtenances,  as  flints  and  feathers  for 
the  arrows,  and  sinews  for  the  bows.  But,  to  secure 
them,  and  at  the  same  time  not  to  incommode  them 
in  their  march,  they  make  holes  in  their  ears,  where 
they  hang  a  large  case,  which  holds  the  things  they 
need."     (Vol.  i,  p.  78.) 

The  following  account  of  the  mode  of  subsistence, 
and  of  some  of  the  habits,  of  the  natives  of  Upper 
California,  is  particularly  worthy  of  attention,  not 
only  as  being  drawn  up  by  a  resident,  but  as  the 
first  notice  of  these  matters  that  can,  in  any  way, 
be  depended  on.  It  is  taken  from  Father  Palou's 
work,  to  which  we  are  already  so  largely  indebted. 

'*The  natives  of  this  part  of  the  country  main- 
tain themselves  by  the  seeds  and  herbs  of  the  field, 
to  collect  which,  when  in  season,  is  the  duty  of  the 
women.  The  seeds  they  grind,  and  of  the  flour 
make  gruel,  and  sometimes  a  kind  of  pudding  or 
dough,  which  they  form  into  balls  of  the  size  of  an 
orange.  Some  of  this  flour  has  an  agreeable  flavor, 
and  is  very  nutritive  ;  that  produced  from  a  black 
seed  has  the  taste  of  toasted  almonds.  To  this  diet 
they  add  fish,  which  they  catch  on  the  shores  of  the 
bay,  and  which  are  exceedingly  good.  They  have, 
also,  shell  -  fish  in  abundance.  In  addition,  they 
have  the  produce  of  the  chase,  and  wild -fowl,  such 
as  deer,  rabbits,  geese,  ducks,  quails,  &c.  It  also 
sometimes  happens  that  a  whale  is  driven  on  shore. 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  189 

an  event  which  they  celebrate  with  great  rejoicings, 
as  they  value  its  flesh  and  blubber  above  all  things. 
They  roast  the  flesh  of  this  animal  in  holes  made  in 
the  earth,  and  when  their  first  voracity  is  appeased, 
they  hang  up  the  remainder  on  the  trees,  and  cut 
pieces  off  as  they  do  with  the  seal,  which  they 
esteem  next  to  the  whale.  In  the  woods,  they  also 
find  acorns,  which  they  grind  in  like  manner,  and 
make  gruel  and  balls  of.  There  are  likewise  nuts 
of  the  same  quality  as  in  Spain,  and  on  the  high 
ground  and  sand-hills,  strawberries  of  excellent 
flavor,  and  much  larger  than  those  of  Europe, 
which  ripen  in  the  months  of  May  and  June. 
There  is  likewise  a  blackberry,  which  is  found  in 
great  abundance.  In  the  highlands  there  is  an 
edible  root,  which  they  call  amok,  about  the  size  of 
an  onion,  and  which,  after  being  roasted  in  their 
ovens,   has  an  agreeable,   sweetish  taste. 

"Another  variety  of  this  amole  serves  all  the  pur- 
poses of  soap ;  but  of  this  the  natives  have  no  great 
need,  as  their  clothing  is  very  scanty.  This,  indeed, 
is  exclusively  confined  to  the  females,  the  men  going 
without  any,  except  what  nature  gave  them. 

*'The  other  sex,  however,  even  the  young  girls, 
have  always  some  covering,  which  is  made  of  the  tule, 
or  bulrush,  and  which  consists  of  one  piece  before 
and  one  behind,  in  the  manner  of  a  petticoat.  They 
have  also  a  piece  thrown  over  their  shoulders.     The 


190  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

men,  in  the  mornings,  are  accustomed  to  plaster 
themselves  over  with  mud.  This,  they  say,  keeps 
out  the  cold ;  and,  accordingly,  when  the  sun  grows 
hot,  they  wash  it  off. 

*' These  people  have  their  marriages,  but  they  con- 
sist of  no  other  ceremony  than  the  consent  of  the 
parties,  and  they  are  only  binding  till  they  disagree, 
or  choose  to  part.  They  have  no  other  mode  of 
canceling  a  marriage  than  by  using  the  phrase,  *  I 
throw  you  away.'  It  is  nevertheless  true  that  we 
found  many  couples,  both  young  and  old,  who  lived 
in  great  unity  and  peace,  esteeming  their  children, 
and  their  children  them.  Parentage  or  relationship 
forms  no  obstacle  to  their  intermarriages.  It  is 
very  common  for  the  wife  to  urge  her  husband  to 
marry  her  sisters,  and  even  their  mother  ;  and 
the  common  custom  is,  when  a  man  first  marries, 
that  he  takes  the  whole  of  the  sisters  for  wives. 
These  many  wives  of  one  husband  live  without 
jealousies  or  disputes,  each  looking  on  the  whole 
of  the  children  as  if  they  were  their  own,  and  the 
whole  living  in  one  house.  In  fact,  the  first  bap- 
tisms made  at  this  mission  were  of  three  children, 
all  born  within  two  months,  sons  of  an  Indian  man, 
and  of  three  sisters,  to  all  of  whom  he  was  married, 
as  well  as  to  their  mother."  Father  Palou  adds,  that 
this  description  of  the  natives  found  on  the  borders 
of   the  Bay  of   San   Francisco   may  be  applied,  with 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  191 

some  local  differences,  to  the  whole  of  the  Indians 
of  Upper  California,  as,  although  those  Indians  spoke 
many  different  languages,  yet  their  habits  and 
customs   differed    but   little. 

The  tule,  or  bulrushes,  with  which  the  rivers  and 
lakes  of  the  Indian  country  abound,  are  put  by 
the  natives  to  a  variety  of  uses.  One  of  the  most 
important  or  singular  of  these  is  the  structure  of  the 
rafts  or  boats,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  with  which 
they  navigate  their  lakes  and  rivers,  and  even  the 
bays  and  shores  of  the  ocean.  This  raft,  which,  at 
the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards,  and  even  to 
this  day,  constitutes  almost  their  sole  means  of  trans- 
port on  the  river,  is  termed  balsa,  and  is  perhaps 
the  rudest  or  most  primitive  mode  of  navigation 
found  among  any  people.  The  balsas  are  entirely 
formed  of  the  bulrush,  and  are  constructed  by  bind- 
ing them  together  into  bundles  of  about  ten  feet  in 
length,  of  considerable  thickness  in  the  middle,  and 
gradually  tapering  to  each  end.  These  bundles  or 
sheaves  are  then  tied  together  at  the  ends  until  the 
whole  mass  is  of  sufficient  size  to  buoy  up  two  or  more 
persons.  The  boat  thus  formed  is  about  ten  feet  long, 
of  considerable  breadth  in  the  middle,  and  tapering 
regularly  to  each  end.  They  are  propelled  by  paddles, 
and,  from  their  shape,  go  equally  well  with  either  end 
foremost.  In  calm  and  smooth  water,  the  center 
parts  of  the  rafts  may  be  dry,   but  more  commonly 


192  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

the  rowers  sit  on  them,  soaked  in  water,  as  they 
seldom  rise  above  the  surface.  The  greatest  me- 
chanical ingenuity  displayed  by  the  Indians  is  in  the 
construction  of  their  baskets  and  bows  and  arrows. 
Some  of  the  former,  constructed  of  the  barks  of  trees, 
are  water-tight,  and  used  for  carrying  water.  They 
are  likewise  employed  for  roasting  their  grain  before 
it  is  ground.  This  operation  is  performed  by  the 
women,  over  a  little  lighted  charcoal,  and  is  done 
with  so  much  rapidity  and  address  that  the  grain 
is  thoroughly  roasted  without  setting  fire  to  the 
basket,  although  this  is  made  of  very  combustible 
materials.  Many  of  the  baskets  are  ornamented  with 
the  scarlet  feathers  of  the  Oriolus  phoeniceus,  or  with 
the  black  crest-feathers  of  the  Calif ornian  partridge, 
and  are  really  very  handsome.  The  Californian  bow 
is  of  a  good  shape,  from  three  feet  to  four  feet 
and  a  half  long,  neatly  wrought,  and  strengthened 
with  the  tendons  of  deer.  These  not  only  support 
the  wood,  but  greatly  augment  its  elasticity.  The 
arrows,  as  well  as  the  bows,  are  neatly  wrought,  hav- 
ing points  of  obsidian  or  a  kind  of  flint,  which  are 
let  into  the  wood,  and  bound  fast  with  tendons. 
The  Indians  are  extremely  skillful  in  the  use  of  these 
weapons,  killing  the  smallest  birds  with  them.  In 
doing  so,  however,  they  exhibit  fully  as  much 
cunning  and  patience  as  skill,  as  they  steal  along 
concealed  till  they  are  very  near  their  game,  seldom 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  193 

stooping  until  within  fifteen  or  twenty  paces.  They 
show  particular  ingenuity  and  skill  in  their  manner 
of  killing  deer.  This  has  been  noticed  by  all  trav- 
elers, and  is  still  practiced  precisely  in  the  same 
manner. 

**We  saw  an  Indian  (says  Laperouse)  with  a 
stag's  head  fixed  upon  his  own,  walk  on  all-fours  as 
if  he  were  browsing  the  grass,  and  he  played  this 
pantomime  to  such  perfection  that  all  our  hunters 
would  have  fired  at  him  at  thirty  paces  had  they 
not  been  prevented.  In  this  manner  they  approach 
herds  of  stags  within  a  very  small  distance,  and  kill 
them  with  a  flight  of  arrows."  The  same  exhibition 
was  made  to  Vancouver  and  Langsdorff.  Laperouse 
further  says  :  "By  these  means  they  can,  nearly  to 
a  certainty,  get  within  two  or  three  yards  of  the 
deer,  when  they  take  an  opportunity  of  its  attention 
being  directed  to  some  other  object,  and  discharge 
their  arrows  from  their  secreted  bows,  which  is  done 
in  a  very  stooping  attitude."  Captain  Beechey  says, 
in  addition,  that  the  Indian  not  only  imitates  the 
actions  but  the  voice  of  the  deer,  and  seldom  fails 
to  entice  several  of  the  herd  within  his  reach. 

Equal  ingenuity  is  shown  by  them  in  catching 
water-fowl.  The  following  is  the  account  of  this 
given  by  Captain  Beechey  :  ' '  They  construct  large 
nets  with  bulrushes,  and  repair  to  such  rivers  as  are 
the  resort  of  their  game,  where  they  fix  a  long  pole 

13  o 


194  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

upright  on  each  bank,  with  one  end  of  the  net 
attached  to  the  pole  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
to  themselves.  Several  artificial  ducks,  made  of 
rushes,  are  then  set  afloat  upon  the  water  between 
the  poles,  as  a  decoy,  and  the  Indians,  who  have 
a  line  fastened  to  one  end  of  the  net,  and  passed 
through  a  hole  in  the  upper  end  of  the  pole  that  is 
near  them,  wait  the  arrival  of  their  game  in  conceal- 
ment. When  the  birds  approach,  they  suddenly 
extend  the  net  across  the  river  by  pulling  upon  the 
line,  and  intercept  them  in  their  flight,  when  they 
fall  stunned  into  a  large  purse  in  the  net,  and  are 
captured.  They  also  spread  nets  across  their  rivers 
in  the  evening,  in  order  that  the  birds  may  become 
entangled  in  them  as  they  fly."  * 

It  is  difficult  to  come  at  the  real  religion  of  the 
natives,  on  account  of  the  general  ignorance  of  their 
language.  Laperouse  says  they  have  no  knowledge 
of  a  god  or  future  state ;  more  recent  travelers 
assert  that  they  are  idolators,  worshiping  the  sun, 
and  believing  in  both  a  good  and  an  evil  spirit, 
whom  they  seek  occasionally  to  propitiate.  Father 
Paloii  gives  a  somewhat  different  account  of  their 
religion.  "In  none  of  the  missions  (he  says)  has 
there  been  observed  any  idolatry  whatever,  —  only 
a  mere  negative  infidelity;  neither  have  they  shown 
the  least  difficulty  in  believing  any  of  our  mysteries. 

*  Vol.   ii,  p.   75. 


ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  195 

We  have  only  observed  amongst  them  some  super- 
stitions and  vain  observances,  and  occasionally, 
among  the  old,  some  pretensions  to  supernatural 
power ;  as,  that  they  had  the  power  to  send  the 
rains,  thunder,  &c.  ;  that  they  had  dominion  over 
the  whales,  &c.  But  these  pretenders  were  seldom 
credited  even  by  their  own  tribes,  and  they  were 
believed  to  put  forth  these  pretensions  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  presents.  One  superstition, 
however,  seemed  firmly  believed  by  all ;  viz. ,  that 
any  sickness  with  which  they  were  afflicted  arose 
from  the  incantations  of  their  enemies." 

The  Indians  seem  to  have  some  notion  of  a  future 
state.  About  San  Francisco  they  burn  their  dead, 
after  adorning  the  corpse  with  flowers,  feathers,  &c., 
and  laying  beside  it  a  bow  and  arrows.  The  cere- 
mony is  attended  with  loud  shouting  and  other 
savage  demonstrations  of  regret.  More  to  the  south- 
ward they  always  bury  their  dead ;  and  Father  Paloii 
says  that,  in  his  time,  there  were,  near  Santa 
Barbara,   inclosed  cemeteries  for  the  purpose. 

It  is  but  justice  to  these  poor  people  to  state  that 

their    affections    seem   very   strong,    as    exhibited    in 

the    extreme     tenderness    and     love    shown    by    the 

parents  to  their  children,  and  the  general  care  of  the 

sick  and  wounded,  and  also  the  remarkable  strength 

of  their  friendships.     Long  after  the   loss  of  friends, 

they   shed    tears    on    their    being    brought    to    their 

o  2 


196  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

remembrance,  and  they  conceive  it  to  be  a  great 
offense  for  any  one  to  name  them  in  their  presence. 
Laperouse  says  that  although  they  neither  eat  their 
prisoners,  nor  their  enemies  killed  in  battle,  yet 
that  when  they  had  vanquished  and  put  to  death, 
upon  the  field  of  battle,  chiefs  or  very  courageous 
men,  they  will  eat  some  pieces  of  them,  less  as  a 
sign  of  hatred  or  revenge,  than  as  a  homage  which 
they  pay  to  their  valor,  and  from  the  belief,  com- 
mon to  them  with  many  other  savages,  that  this 
food  will  increase  their  own  courage.  The  same 
authority  informs  us  that  they  scalp  their  slain 
enemies,  and  pluck  out  their  eyes,  which  they  have 
the  art  of  preserving  free  from  decay,  and  carefully 
keep  as  precious  signs  of  their  victory. 

The  Indians,  in  their  native  state,  are  very  healthy, 
notwithstanding  their  filthy  habits.  It  is  very  far 
otherwise  in  their  domesticated  state.  Both  with 
the  wild  and  the  domesticated  tribes,  the  hot-air  bath, 
or  temescal,  is  the  sovereign  remedy  for  most  of 
their  diseases.  This  is  administered  in  the  following 
manner.  A  round  hovel  or  oven  of  mud  is  built  for 
the  purpose.  It  has  a  small  opening  in  the  side 
to  enter  by,  and  a  smaller  one  at  the  top  for  the 
escape  of  the  smoke.  Several  persons  enter  this  at 
the  same  time,  quite  naked,  and  make  a  fire  close 
to  the  door,  on  the  inside.  They  continue  to  add 
fresh  wood  to  the  fire  as  long  as  they  can  bear  the 


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ORIGINAL    INHABITANTS  197 

heat.  This  soon  throws  them  into  a  profuse  perspi- 
ration over  their  whole  frame.  "They  wring  their 
hair,  (says  Captain  Beechey,)  and  scrape  their  skin 
with  a  sharp  piece  of  wood  or  an  iron  hoop,  in  the 
same  manner  as  coach-horses  are  sometimes  treated 
when  they  come  in  heated,  and  then  plunge  into 
a  river  or  pond  of  cold  water,  which  they  always 
take  care  shall  be  near  the  temescal."  A  variety 
of  this  process  —  a  hot-sand  bath  in  place  of  a  hot- 
air  bath — is  described  by  M.  Rollin,  but  it  seems 
to  be  more  prevalent  in  the  countries  farther  north. 
"The  manner  of  preparing  the  temescal  (he  says) 
consists  in  scooping  a  trench  in  the  sand,  two  feet 
wide,  one  foot  deep,  and  of  a  length  proportioned 
to  the  size  of  the  patient.  A  fire  is  then  made 
through  the  whole  extent  of  it,  as  well  as  upon  the 
sand  which  was  dug  out  of  the  hollow.  When  the 
whole  is  thoroughly  heated,  the  fire  is  removed  and 
the  sand  stirred  about,  that  the  warmth  may  be 
equally  diffused.  The  sick  person  is  then  stripped, 
laid  down  in  the  trench,  and  covered  up  to  his  chin 
with  heated  sand.  In  this  position  a  very  profuse 
sweat  soon  breaks  out,  which  gradually  dimin- 
ishes according  as  the  sand  cools.  The  patient 
then  rises  and  bathes  in  the  sea  or  nearest  river. 
This  process  is  repeated  until  a  complete  cure  is 
obtained."  * 

*  Laperouse,  vol.   iii. 


198  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

It  is  impossible  to  form  any  trustworthy  opinion 
of  the  amount  of  the  Indian  population  in  the  other 
parts  of  California,  not  in  the  immediate  possession 
of  the  missions. 


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CHAPTER    V 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  MISSIONARY  ESTABLISHMENTS.  — PRESENT 
STATE  OF  THE  INDIANS  IN  THEM.— REMARKS  ON  THE 
MISSIONARY  SYSTEM  GENERALLY,  AND  ON  THE  CONVERSION 

OF   INFIDELS 

From  the  feeble  and  mild  physical  and  moral 
characters  of  the  aboriginal  natives  of  California, 
as  described  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  success  of 
the  missionaries  in  subjecting  them  to  their  temporal 
and  spiritual  dominion,  although  certainly  remark- 
able, is  yet  very  easily  understood.  Much  credit 
is  unquestionably  due  to  them,  and  the  result 
exhibits,  in  a  striking  point  of  view,  the  efficacy  of 
the  system  followed  by  the  fathers,  more  especially 
when  compared  with  that  adopted  by  missionaries 
in  other  countries.  Still,  it  will  hardly  be  believed 
that  had  the  Jesuits  of  Lower  California  or  the 
Franciscans  of  the  upper  province  (and  the  same 
may  be  said  of  the  Jesuits  in  Paraguay)  been  set 
down  amid  many  of  the  other  tribes  of  the  same 
continent,  and  yet  more,  among  the  fierce  races  of  the 
islands  and  continents  in  the  southern  hemisphere, 
they  would  never  have  succeeded  in  civilizing  —  or 
to  avoid  dispute,  domesticating  —  them,  but  would 
have  been  destroyed  or  driven  from  the  country  in 

199 


200  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

a  short  space  of  time.  Their  lot,  however,  was, 
fortunately,  different  ;  and  assuredly  there  are  few 
events  in  history  more  remarkable,  on  the  whole, 
or  more  interesting,  than  the  transformation,  on  the 
great  scale,  wrought  by  the  Jesuits  and  Franciscans 
in  Paraguay  and  California.  In  the  present  chap- 
ter I  purpose  giving  an  account  of  the  Indians  in 
their  converted  or  domesticated  state,  but  must 
previously  detail  the  progress  of  the  different  mis- 
sionary establishments,  and  their  actual  condition. 

Humboldt  says  that  in  1776  there  were  eight 
villages  or  missions  ;  and  in  1790,  eleven  ;  and  in 
1802,  eighteen.  According  to  Laperouse,  (who  vis- 
ited California  in  that  year,)  there  were  ten  missions 
in  1786,  and  the  number  of  converted  or  domesticated 
Indians  was  5,143.  One  of  the  missions  —  Santa 
Barbara  —  was  only  just  founded,  and  contained  no 
converts.  Vancouver  visited  the  coast  in  1793,  and 
found  that  several  new  missions  had  been  founded 
since  the  visit  of  Laperouse  ;  viz.,  Santa  Cruz,  Santa 
Rosa   [La  Purisima  Concepcion],  and  La  Soledad." 

The  following  authentic  document,  supplied  by 
Humboldt,  gives  the  names  of  the  missiops,  and 
dates  'of  their  foundation,  respectively,  and  the  popu- 
lation in  the  year  1802,  or  rather,  the  number  of 
the  converted  Indians^  the  other  classes  not  being 
mentioned.  It  is  extracted  from  the  Essay  on  New 
Spain. 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      201 


Foun- 
dation 


Males 


1769 
1798 
1776 
1771 
1797 
1782 
1786 
1787 
1772 
1797 
1791 
1771 
1770 
1797 
1791 
1777 
1797 
1776 


San  Diego  de  Alcala     .... 
San  Luis  Rey  de  Francia   . 
San  Juan  Capistrano      .... 
San  Gabriel  Arcangel   .... 
San  Fernando  Rey  de  Espana 

San  Buenaventura 

Santa  Barbara 

La  Purisima  Concepcion    . 
San  Luis  Obispo  de  Tolosa     . 
San  Miguel  Arcangel    .... 
Nuestra  Seiiora  de  la  Soledad 
San  Antonio  de  Padua  .... 
San  Carlos  Borromeo  de  Monterey 

San  Juan  Bautista 

Santa  Cruz 

Santa  Clara  de  Asis 

San  Jose    

San  Francisco  de  Asis  .... 


737 
256 
502 
532 
317 
436 
521 
457 
374 
309 
296 
568 
376 
530 
238 
736 
327 
433 


822 
276 
511 
515 
297 
502 
572 
571 
325 
305 
267 
484 
312 
428 
199 
555 
295 
381 


1,559 
532 

1,013 

1,047 
614 
938 

1,093 

1,028 
699 
614 
563 

1,052 
688 
958 
437 

1,291 
622 
814 


Totals 


7,945  7,617   15,562 


[in  the  orieinal  edition,  two  errors  appear  in  the  Foundation  column;  viz.,  1794  instead  of  1791  (Santa 
Cruz),  and  1779  instead  of  1776  (San  Francisco).  Also,  the  names  of  the  missions  were  much  abbreviated. 
The  error  "Santa  Rosa"  (p.  200)  is  owing  to  Vancouver's  "  Sta  Rosa  la  Purissima"  (vol.  ii,  p.  489).] 


Humboldt  informs  us  that  he  could  not  ascertain 
the  numbers  of  the  other  classes  of  the  population 
in  1802,  whether  whites,  mestizos,  or  mulattoes, 
either  in  the  presidios  or  in  the  service  of  the 
fathers,  but  he  believed  the  whole  number  did  not 
exceed  1,300.  This  would  give  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  Upper  California,  at  that  time,  at  something 
less  than  17,000  (16,862). 

The  number  of  missions  founded  to  the  present 
time  is  twenty-one,  and  the  total  amount  of  the 
Indian  population  in  these,  in  the  year  1831,  was 
18,683.  The  number  of  other  classes,  exclusive  of 
the  Indians,  that  is,  of  the  garrison  and  free  settlers, 
was  4,342, — making  a  total  of  23,025  for  the  whole 


202 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA 


country.  The  following  table  gives  an  accurate  state- 
ment of  all  classes  of  the  population,  and  in  every 
locality,  in  the  year  just  mentioned.  The  enumeration 
will  hold  nearly  good  for  the  present  time  (1835). 


Names  of  the  Jurisdictions,  Missions, 

People  of  All  Classes  and  Ages 

and  Towns 

Men 

Women 

Boys 

Girls 

Total 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Francisco 

Presidio  of  San  Francisco     .     .     .     . 

124 

85 

89 

73 

371 

Town  of  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe .     .     . 

166 

145 

103 

110 

524 

Mission  of  San  Francisco  Solano  .     .     . 

285 

242 

88 

90 

705 

Id.       of  San  Rafael  Arcangel  .     .     . 

406 

410 

105 

106 

1,027 

Id.       of  San  Francisco  de  Asis 

146 

65 

13 

13 

237 

Id.       of  Santa  Clara  de  Asis    .      .      . 

752 

491 

68 

60 

1,371 

Id.       of  San  Jose  .     . , 

823 

659 

100 

145 

1,727 

Id.       of  Santa  Cruz 

222 

94 

30 

20 

366 

Jurisdiction  of  Monterey 

' 

Presidio  of  Monterey 

311 

190 

110 

97 

708 

Village  of  Branciforte 

52 

34 

27 

17 

130 

Mission  of  San  Juan  Bautista  .... 

480 

351 

85 

71 

987 

Id.       of  San  CarlosBorromeode Monterey 

102 

79 

34 

21  ' 

236 

Id.       of  Nuestra  Seiiora  de  la  Soledad 

210 

81 

23 

20 

334 

Id.       of  San  Antonio  de  Padua     . 

394 

209 

51 

17 

671 

Id.       of  San  Miguel  Arcangel       .     . 

349 

292 

46 

61 

748 

Id.       of  San  Luis  Obispo  de  Tolosa . 

211 

103 

8 

7 

329 

Jurisdiction  of  Santa  Barbara 

Presidio  0/ Santa  Barbara    .... 

167 

120 

162 

164 

613 

Mission  of  La  Purisima  Concepcion.     . 

151 

218 

47 

34 

450 

Id.        of  Santa  Ines 

142 

136 

82 

96 

456 

Id.       of  Santa  Barbara 

374 

267 

51 

70 

762 

Id.       of  San  Buenaventura  .... 

383 

283 

66 

59 

791 

Id.       of  San  Fernando  Rey  de  Espana 

249 

226 

177 

181 

833 

Town  of  La  Reina  de  los  Angeles    .      . 

552 

421 

213 

202 

1,388 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Diego 

0 

Presidio  ©/"San  Diego 

295 -| 

Mission  of  San  Gabriel  Arcangel      .      . 
Id.       of  San  Juan  Capistrano    . 

574 
464  ' 

1,911 

683 

621 

5,686* 

Id.        of  San  Luis  Rey  de  Francia 

1,138^ 

Id.       of  San  Diego  de  Alcala  .      .      . 

750 

520 

162 

146 

1,575 

Totals 

10,272 

7,632 

2,623 

2,498 

23,025 

*  We   are   unable   to  give   these    latter   details    accurately,    the   copy   having 
accidentally  caught   fire   when   in   the   hands   of  the   printer. 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      203 

In  illustration  of  the  preceding  table,  as  well  as 
to  exhibit  the  general  economy  of  the  missions,  it 
is  necessary  to  give  some  account  of  the  various 
departments  or  classes  in  which  the  population  is 
distributed. 

Presidencies,  or  Presidios.  —  Upper  California 
is  divided  into  four  military  districts,  the  head- 
quarters of  which  are  respectively  denominated 
the  presidio  of  the  district  or  jurisdiction.  At  each 
of  these,  troops  are  stationed,  under  the  authority 
of  a  military  commandant.  These  presidencies,  as 
seen  in  the  table,  are  San  Francisco,  Monterey, 
Santa  Barbara,  and  San  Diego.  The  buildings  at 
the  different  stations  are  nearly  all  of  the  same  class 
and  dimensions.  They  consist  of  a  square  of  about 
one  hundred  yards  each  side,  inclosed  by  a  wall  of 
unburnt  bricks,  called  adobes,  of  about  four  yards 
in  height,  within  which  are  the  residence  of  the 
commandant,  lodging  for  the  troops,  the  church, 
warehouses,  &c.  A  short  distance  from  the  presidios 
are  what  they  choose  to  call  the  castillos,  or  forts. 
That  of  San  Francisco,  which  is  thought  to  be  the 
most  formidable,  is  about  a  mile  distant  from  the 
presidio.  It  is,  however,  of  little  use,  both  from  its 
bad  construction  and  too  elevated  situation.  It  is 
meant  to  protect  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  but 
in  its  present  state  it  can  neither  protect  nor  annoy 
anything.     That  of  Monterey,  although  its  situation 


204  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

is  good  for  commanding  the  anchorage,  yet,  as  it 
has  no  parapet,  and  only  a  few  guns  of  small  caliber 
and  in  very  bad  condition,  is  of  no  consequence. 
At  Santa  Barbara,  two  old  guns  lie  on  an  esplanade, 
but  are  quite  unserviceable.  The  castillo  of  San  Diego 
is  about  five  miles  from  the  presidio.  Its  locality 
renders  it  of  no  use,  but  there  are  good  situations 
in  the  intricate  entrance  to  the  harbor  which  could 
be  fortified  so  as  easily  to  prevent  the  entrance 
of  an  enemy.  Those  fortifications  resemble  the 
innumerable  others  which  the  Spaniards  thought 
necessary  to  erect  in  all  their  colonies.  A  fort  was 
always  thought  absolutely  necessary  at  every  sup- 
posed vulnerable  point ;  but,  so  that  a  castillo  was 
once  erected,  with  a  few  guns,  generally  of  heavy 
metal,  the  duty  of  the  government  and  the  com- 
mandant for  the  time  being  was  considered  as  ful- 
filled, and  the  rot  and  the  rust  were  forever  after 
left  to  their  natural  province  of  destruction.  It  is 
nearly  a  century  since  anything  has  been  done  for 
the  castillos  of  California.  A  good  practical  illus- 
tration of  the  strength  of  these  forts  was  afforded 
in  the  year  1819,  when  a  pirate -vessel  from  Buenos 
Ay  res  landed  a  few  men  at  Monterey,  captured  the 
fort,  destroyed  most  of  its  guns,  and  pillaged  and 
burnt  the  town. 

In  each  of  the  presidios  there  are  a  certain  num- 
ber   of    soldiers    stationed,    who    have    always    been 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS     205 

troops  of  an  inferior  description.  Those  that  went 
with  the  first  settlers  were  a  sort  of  mihtia  raised 
on  the  Indian  borders  of  Sonora,  and  denominated 
^^  compahias  de  cueras,''  (Hterally,  hide  companies,) 
from  their  wearing  a  sort  of  cuirass  of  hides  {cuera), 
in  order  to  defend  them  from  the  arrows  of  the 
Indians.  The  number  of  troops  assigned  to  each 
presidio  was  two  hundred  and  fifty,  but  this  number 
was  never  complete.  They  consisted  entirely  of  horse. 
They  were  always  badly  clothed,  and  worse  paid,  so 
that  their  appearance  was  that  of  tattered  ragamuffins; 
and  from  their  undisciplined  state  and  idle  habits, 
they  were  good  for  nothing  except  to  retake  any 
of  the  miserable  Indians  who  might  escape  from 
the  missions,  which  was  indeed  their  chief  employ- 
ment. The  policy  of  the  missionaries  always  was 
to  prevent  the  increase  of  any  considerable  popula- 
tion, except  at  their  own  missions  ;  and  the  soldiers 
were  not  allowed  to  marry,  except  by  express  per- 
mission from  the  king,  and  this  was,  of  course,  not 
easily  obtained  ;  so  that  those  men  lived  in  a  sort 
of  celibacy  which  corresponded  with  the  other 
monastic  establishments.  In  the  present  day,  things 
are  somewhat  altered,  but  not  much  for  the  better; 
for  whatever  soldiers  are  sent  to  California  are  the 
refuse  of  the  Mexican  army,  and  most  frequently 
are  deserters,  mutineers,  or  men  guilty  of  military 
crimes.      Those    presidios    are    also    appropriated    as 


206  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

receptacles  for  transported  felons  ;  so  that  California 
is   the   Botany  Bay  of   Mexico. 

Ranch  OS,  or  National  Farms.  —  In  the 
neighborhood  of  each  presidio,  and  generally  at 
the  distance  of  four  or  five  leagues,  certain  farms, 
called  *'ranchos,"  are  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the 
soldiers.  These,  on  their  first  establishment,  were 
also  meant  to  be  depositories  of  tithes  to  be  collected 
in  cattle  and  grain  by  the  government ;  but,  as 
the  missions  have  never  been  liable  to  tithes,  and  the 
other  settlements  are  of  small  value,  this  branch 
of  revenue  was  never  of  much  consequence,  and 
those  ranchos  only  contain  a  few  cattle  belonging 
to  the  presidios.  They  are  under  the  direction  of 
the   commandants   of   the   respective   presidios. 

Towns,  or  "Pueblos." — There  are  only  three 
free  towns  independent  of  the  missions  and  presidios 
in  all  Upper  California.  These  towns  owe  their 
origin  to  the  retirement  of  the  old  Spanish  or  creole 
soldiers  in  the  service  of  the  missions,  who,  after  a 
certain  length  of  service,  become  entitled  to  exemp- 
tion from  any  further  military  services,  and  have 
permission  either  to  return  to  their  native  land  or 
to  settle  in  the  country.  Most  of  these  soldiers 
are  married  and  have  families,  and  when  the 
retirement  of '  the  pueblos  is  preferred,  grants  of 
land,  with  some  necessary  articles,  are  given  them 
to    commence    their   new    occupation   of    husbandry, 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      207 

which,  with  the  aid  of  the  natives,  they  generally 
cultivate  successfully.  The  most  fertile  spots  have 
been  generally  chosen  for  the  pueblos,  and  the 
produce  of  these  not  only  supports  the  inhabitants 
of  the  place,  but  supplies  the  wants  of  the  neigh- 
boring  mission   and   presidio. 

The  principal  pueblo  is  Nuestra  Senora  de  los 
Angelesy  situated  about  eight  miles  from  the  mis- 
sion of  San  Gabriel,  and  about  twenty  miles  from 
a  roadstead  on  the  Pacific,  called  San  Pedro.  The 
population  of  the  town  is  about  fifteen  hundred. 
It  has  an  alcalde  or  mayor,  three  regidores,  and  a 
sindico  :  this  composes  its  ayuntamiento,  or  town 
council.  The  vicinity  is  occupied  by  vineyards  and 
maize-fields,  and  as  the  lands  are  level  and  highly 
fertile,  it  is  capable  of  great  agricultural  improve- 
ment. This  town  has  been  proposed  as  the  capital 
of  the  country;  and  as  the  Spaniards  have,  in  their 
colonies,  always  chosen  an  inland  situation  for  their 
capital  towns,  this  scheme  might  have  been  adopted 
if  the  country  had  remained  in  their  hands,  but  it  is 
to  be  presumed )  that  Monterey  will,  under  the  present 
circumstances,  be  considered  as  the  capital  until  a 
population  shall  arise  on  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco, 
when,  from  its  superiority  as  a  harbor,  the  capital 
town  will  ultimately,   no  doubt,   be  fixed  there. 

The  second  town  is  San  Jose^  situated  about  a 
league  from  the  mission  of  Santa  Clara,  and  twenty 


208  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

leagues  from  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  A  small 
river,  or,  rather,  large  rivulet,  passes  by  it,  and 
discharges  itself  into  that  bay.  The  inhabitants 
amount  to  about  six  hundred,  and  it  has  its  alcalde 
and  council,  the  same  as  Los  Angeles.  The  inhabi- 
tants occupy  themselves  in  the  cultivation  of  wheat 
and  other  grain  ;  they  have  a  considerable  number 
of  cattle,  and  trade  in  the  skins  and  tallow  of  deer, 
which  are  found  in  great  numbers  in  this  district. 
The  situation  of  this  town  is  in  a  very  extensive 
plain,  and  in  a  part  of  the  country  highly  adapted 
for  the  cultivation  of  wheat ;  but  in  some  places  it 
is  deficient  in  water,  at  least  for  the  purpose  of  irri- 
gation, which,  in  many  parts  of  California,  is  neces- 
sary for  successful  cultivation,  owing  to  the  long 
droughts  which  are  experienced  at  certain  seasons 
of  the  year.  In  this  neighborhood  there  are  still 
large  tracts  of  fine  land  unoccupied  by  the  missions. 

The  third  town  is  called  Branciforte.  It  is  about 
a  mile  distant  from  the  mission  of  Santa  Cruz,  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  the  shore  of  the  Bay  of  Monte- 
rey, and  eighteen  leagues  from  the  presidio  of  that 
name.  Its  inhabitants  do  not  much  exceed  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  and  their  occupation  is  rural  labor. 
This  town  has  also  its  alcalde,  but  is  dependent  on 
the  military  commandant  of  Monterey. 

This  account  of  the  few  free  towns,  or  rather 
villages,   that   exist  in  Upper  California,   shows   how 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS      209 

little  progress  population  has  made  in  this  country 
by  free  settlers.  This  arises  not  only  from  the  inap- 
titude of  the  Spaniards  for  colonizing  a  country 
of  this  description,  but  also  from  the  jealousy  of 
the  missionaries,  who  arrogated  to  themselves  the 
property  of  almost  the  whole  of  the  land,  so  that 
settlers  could  only  establish  themselves  by  their 
toleration.  By  this  means,  only  a  select  number 
were  admitted,  and  these  firm  adherents  of  the 
missionaries,  who  would  blindly  obey  their  mandates, 
which  mandates,  with  the  inquisition  in  their 
neighborhood,  were  not  to  be  trifled  with.  The 
whole  of  the  free  settlers  even  at  this  time  do  not 
exceed  five  thousand.  In  this  number  is  included 
the  whole  population  of  white  and  mixed  castes 
who  live  in  the  country,  in  the  free  villages,  and  at 
the  missions  and  presidios,  exclusive  of  the  Indians 
bound  to  the  missions.  Of  these  free  settlers,  many 
live  at  the  missions  and  on  their  lands,  and  can 
hardly  be  said  to  be  independent  of  them.  It  is 
obvious  that  it  is  from  the  free  white  and  Creole 
races,  and  from  the  introduction  of  fresh  colonists, 
the  future  population  of  California  must  proceed ; 
for  the  enslaved  Indians  are  already  on  the  decline, 
and  on  the  dissolution  of  the  missionary  system 
they  will  dwindle  away,  and  soon  become  almost 
extinguished. 

Nothing  can  be  more  remarkable  than  the  physical 

14  P 


210  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

difference  between  the  free  creole  race  (including 
the  mestizos  or  those  of  mixed  blood)  and  the 
enslaved  Indians  of  the  missions.  The  Creoles  are 
a  remarkably  fine  set  of  people,  of  large  stature, 
and  of  as  athletic  form  as  perhaps  any  other  in  the 
world.  I  have  seen  natives  of  Upper  California 
who  might  pass  for  the  fabled  giants  of  Patagonia  ; 
and  when  they  go,  at  times,  to  the  Mexican  coast, 
the  contrast  between  them  and  the  emaciated  inhab- 
itants of  the  aguish  shores  of  the  more  southern 
country   is   most   conspicuous. 

The  Missions.  —  These  estabhshments  are  all 
formed  on  the  same  plan,  and  consequently  greatly 
resemble  each  other.  They  vary,  however,  accord- 
ing to  their  extent,  standing,  and  population,  and 
also  according  to  the  individual  character  of  the 
directing  fathers  for  the  time  being.  Each  mission 
is  governed  by  one  or  more  missionaries,  all  friars 
of  the  order  San  Francisco.  One  of  these  is  styled 
prefect,  and  not  president,^  as  was  formerly  the 
case.  Through  him  is  (or  was)  carried  on  all 
the  public  correspondence  with  the  government  of 
Mexico ;  but  he  has  no  power  superior  to  the 
others,  and  each  may  be  said  to  be  absolute  in  his 
own  mission.  Each  mission  has  allotted  to  it,  in 
the  first  instance,  a  tract  of  land  of  about  fifteen 
miles  square,  which  is  generally  fertile,  and  well 
suited  for  husbandry.     This  land  is  set  apart  for  the 


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MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      211 

general  uses  of  the  mission,  part  being  cultivated, 
and  part  left  in  its  natural  condition  and  occupied 
as  grazing-ground.  The  buildings  of  the  mission 
are,  like  the  presidio,  all  on  the  same  general  plan, 
but  are  varied  according  to  the  locality  and  number 
of  the  inhabitants.  Most  of  the  missionary  villages 
or  residences  are  surrounded  by  a  high  wall  inclos- 
ing the  whole;  others  have  no  such  protection,  but 
consist  of  open  rows  of  streets  of  little  huts  built  of 
bricks.  Some  of  these  are  tiled  and  whitewashed,  and 
look  neat  and  comfortable.  Others  are  dirty  and  in 
disrepair,  and  in  every  way  uncomfortable.  In  the 
mission  of  Santa  Clara,  which  in  several  respects 
excels  the  others,  the  houses  of  the  Indians  form 
five  rows  or  streets,  which,  compared  with  the  old 
straw  huts,  must  be  considered  really  comfortable ; 
and  this  is  the  greatest  improvement  that  has  taken 
place  in  the  domestic  civilization  of  these  people  at 
the  missions.  The  buildings  are  generally  built  in 
the  form  of  a  square,  or  part  of  a  square,  the  church 
usually  forming  a  portion  of  the  elevation.  The 
apartments  of  the  fathers,  which  are  often  spacious, 
the  granaries,  and  workshops,  compose  the  remainder. 
The  Indian  population  generally  live  in  huts,  at 
about  two  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  principal 
edifices.  These  huts  are  sometimes  made  of  adobes, 
but  the  Indians  are  often  left  to  raise  them  on 
their   own    plan ;     viz.,   of   rough  poles   erected   into 

P  2 


212  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

a  conical  figure  of  about  four  yards  in  circum- 
ference at  the  base,  covered  with  dry  grass,  and  a 
small  aperture  for  the  entrance.  When  the  huts 
decay,  they  set  them  on  fire,  and  erect  new  ones, 
which  is  only  the  work  of  a  day.  In  these  huts  the 
married  part  of  the  community  live,  the  unmarried 
of  both  sexes  being  kept,  each  sex  separate,  in  large, 
barn-like  apartments,  where  they  work  under  strict 
supervision.  The  storehouses  and  workshops,  at 
some  of  the  larger  missions,  are  of  great  extent  and 
variety.  There  may  be  seen  a  place  for  melting 
tallow,  one  for  making  soap,  workshops  for  smiths, 
carpenters,  &c.,  storehouses  for  the  articles  manu- 
factured and  the  produce  of  the  farms,  viz.,  stores 
for  tallow,  soap,  butter,  salt,  wool,  hides,  wheat, 
peas,  beans,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.  Four  or  five  soldiers  have 
their  residence  a  few  yards  farther  off,  and  are  meant 
to  watch  the  Indians  and  to  keep  order;  but  they 
are  generally  lazy,  idle  fellows,  and  often  give  the 
missionary  more  trouble  than  all  his  Indians,  and 
instead  of  rendering  assistance,  increase  his  troubles. 
But,  in  all  Spanish  countries,  nothing  can  possibly 
be  done  without  soldiers,  and  the  idea  of  having 
any  public  establishment  without  a  guard  of  soldiers 
would  appear  quite  ridiculous. 

The  church  is,  of  course,  the  main  object  of 
attraction  at  all  the  missions,  and  is  often  gaudily 
decorated.     In  some  of  the  missions,  where  there  is 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     213 

good  building- stone  in  the  vicinity,  the  external 
appearance  of  the  sacred  building  is  not  unseemly; 
in  other  missions  the  exterior  is  very  rude.  In  all  of 
them,  the  interior  is  richer  than  the  outside  promises. 
In  several  there  are  pictures,  and  the  subject  of 
these  is  generally  representations  of  heaven  or  hell, 
glaringly  colored,  purposely,  to  strike  the  rude 
senses  of  the  Indians.  Laperouse  says  that  the 
picture  of  hell  in  the  church  of  San  Carlos  has,  in 
this  way,  done  incalculable  service  in  promoting 
conversion,  and  well  remarks  that  the  Protestant 
mode  of  worship,  which  forbids  images  and  pom- 
pous ceremonies,  could  not  make  any  progress 
among  these  people.  He  is  of  opinion  that  the 
picture  of  paradise  in  the  same  church  has  exerted 
comparatively  little  effect,  on  account  of  its  tame- 
ness;  but  Langsdorff  tells  of  wonders  in  this  way 
wrought  by  a  figure  of  the  Virgin  represented  as 
springing  from  the  coronal  of  leaves  of  the  Agave 
Americana^  or  great  American  aloe,  instead  of  the 
ordinary  stem  !  The  priests  also  take  care  to  be 
provided  with  rich  dresses,  for  the  same  purpose  of 
inspiring  awe. 

The  object  of  the  whole  of  the  Calif ornian  or 
missionary  system  being  the  conversion  of  the 
Indians,  and  the  training  of  them  up,  in  some  sort, 
to  a  civilized  life,  the  constant  care  of  the  fathers 
is,   and  ever  has  been,   directed   towards   these  ends. 


214  UPPER    CALIFORNIA  ' 

The  children  born  in  the  missions  are,  of  course, 
devoted  to  the  missionary  discipline  from  their 
infancy ;  but  the  zeal  of  the  fathers  is  constantly 
looking  out  for  converts  from  among  the  wild  tribes 
on  the  borders  of  their  territories.  Formerly,  when 
the  missionaries  were  strangers  in  the  land,  and  the 
natives  were  numerous,  and  spread  around  their 
settlements,  there  was  no  lack  of  materials  on 
which  to  exercise  their  converting  zeal.  But  for 
a  good  many  years  the  case  has  been  different. 
The  natives  have  become  fewer  in  number,  and 
have  been  gradually  receding  from  the  missionary 
territory.  The  very  progress  of  conversion  has 
necessarily  occasioned  this.  New  means  of  obtaining 
converts  have  been  therefore  had  recourse  to  ;  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  some  of  these  means  , 
go  far  beyond  the  bounds  of  legitimate  persuasion. 
It  would  be  injustice  to  tax  the  fathers  with  openly 
sanctioning,  much  less  directing,  the  more  severe  of 
these  means ;  yet  they  cannot  be  altogether  ignorant 
of  them,  and  must  be  regarded  as  encouraging 
them  indirectly.  And,  indeed,  it  must  be  admitted 
that,  with  their  particular  views  of  the  efficacy  of 
baptism  and  ceremonial  profession  of  Christianity 
in  saving  souls,  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  even 
by  force  can  hardly  be  otherwise  regarded  by  them 
than  as  the  greatest  of  benefits  conferred  on  these 
people,    and    therefore    justifying    some    severity    in 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      215 

effecting  it.  No  one  who  has  seen  or  known  any- 
thing of  the  singular  humanity  and  benevolence  of 
these  good  fathers  will  for  a  moment  believe  that 
they  could  sanction  the  actual  cruelties  and  blood- 
shed occasionally  wrought  in  their  name  by  the 
military  and  more  zealous  converts.  Certain  it  is, 
however,  that  every  encouragement  is  held  out  to  all 
who  shall  bring  in  gentiles  for  conversion.  Converts 
that  can  be  depended  on  are  stationed  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  haunts  occupied  by  their  wild  brethren,  whose 
business  it  is  to  represent  their  own  condition  in 
the  most  favorable  light  possible,  with  the  view 
of  inducing  them  to  join  the  missionary  fold. 
Others  are  permitted  to  pay  visits  to  their  kindred 
of  more  distant  tribes,  with  the  same  views,  and 
are  almost  expected  to  bring  back  converts  with 
them.  "At  a  particular  period  of  the  year,  also," 
we  are  told  by  Captain  Beechey,  "when  the  Indians 
can  be  spared  from  the  agricultural  concerns  of  the 
establishment,  many  of  them  are  permitted  to  take 
the  launch  of  the  mission  and  make  excursions  to 
the  Indian  territory.  ...  On  these  occasions  the 
padres  desire  them  to  induce  as  many  of  their  un- 
converted brethren  as  possible  to  accompany  them 
back  to  the  mission,  of  course  implying  that  this  is 
to  be  done  only  by  persuasion ;  but  the  boat  being 
furnished  with  a  cannon  and  musketry,  and  in  every 
respect  equipped  for  war,   it  too  often  happens  that 


216  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

the  neophytes  and  the  gente  de  razon,  who  super- 
intend the  direction  of  the  boat,  avail  themselves 
of  their  superiority,  v^^ith  the  desire  of  ingratiating 
themselves  with  their  masters,  and  of  receiving 
a  reward.  There  are,  besides,  repeated  acts  of 
aggression  which  it  is  necessary  to  punish,  all  of 
which  furnish  proselytes.  Women  and  children 
are  generally  the  first  objects  of  capture,  as  their 
husbands  and  parents  sometimes  voluntarily  follow 
them   into   captivity."  * 

One  of  these  proselytizing  expeditions  into  the 
Indian  territory  occurred  during  the  period  of  Cap- 
tain Beechey's  visit  in  1826,  which  ended  in  a  battle, 
with  the  loss,  in  the  first  instance,  of  thirty-four  of 
the  converted,  and  eventually  in  the  gain  (by  a 
second  expedition,  sent  to  avenge  the  losses  of  the 
first)  of  forty  women  and  children  of  the  invaded 
tribes.  These  were  immediately  enrolled  in  the 
list  of  the  mission,  and  were  nearly  as  immediately 
converted  into  Christians.  The  process  by  which 
this  was  effected  is  so  graphically  described  by  Cap- 
tain Beechey,  that  it  would  be  doing  him  injustice 
to  use  any  words  but  his  own. 

"I  happened  (he  says)  to  visit  the  mission  about 
this  time,  and  saw  these  unfortunate  beings  under 
tuition.  They  were  clothed  in  blankets,  and  arranged 
in   a   row    before   a    blind    Indian,    who    understood 

*  Beechey:    Voyage  to  the   Pacific,   vol.   ii,   p.   24. 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      217 

their  dialect,  and  was  assisted  by  an  alcalde  to  keep 
order.  Their  tutor  began  by  desiring  them  to  kneel, 
informing  them  that  he  was  going  to  teach  them 
the  names  of  the  persons  composing  the  Trinity, 
and  that  they  were  to  repeat  in  Spanish  what  he 
dictated.  The  neophytes  being  thus  arranged,  the 
speaker  began,  *  Santisima  Trinidad,  —  Dios,  Jesu 
Cristo,  Espiritu  Santo,'  pausing  between  each  name 
to  listen  if  the  simple  Indians,  who  had  never  spoken 
a  Spanish  word  before,  pronounced  it  correctly,  or 
anything  near  the  mark.  After  they  had  repeated 
these  names  satisfactorily,  their  blind  tutor,  after 
a  pause,  added  '  Santos,'  and  recapitulated  the 
names  of  a  great  many  saints ;  which  finished 
the   morning's   tuition."  * 

After  a  few  days,  no  doubt,  these  promising  pupils 
were  christened,  and  admitted  to  all  the  benefits 
and  privileges  of  Christians  and  gente  de  razon. 
Indeed,  I  beHeve  that  the  act  of  making  the  cross, 
and  kneeling  at  proper  times,  and  other  such -like 
mechanical  rites,  constitute  no  small  part  of  the 
religion  of  these  poor  people.  The  rapidity  of 
the  conversion  is,  however,  frequently  stimulated 
by  practices  much  in  accordance  with  the  primary 
kidnaping  of  the  subjects.  "  If,  as  not  infrequently 
happens,  any  of  the  captured  Indians  show  a 
repugnance     to     conversion,    it    is    the     practice    to 

*  Beechey:    Voyage  to   the   Pacific,   vol.   ii,   p.    30. 


218  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

imprison  them  for  a  few  days,  and  then  to  allow 
them  to  breathe  a  little  fresh  air  in  a  walk  round  the 
mission,  to  observe  the  happy  mode  of  life  of  their 
converted  countrymen ;  after  which  they  are  again 
shut  up,  and  thus  continue  incarcerated  until  they 
declare  their  readiness  to  renounce  the  religion  of 
their  forefathers."  *  As  might  be  believed,  the 
ceremonial  exercises  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion 
occupy  a  considerable  share  of  the  time  of  these 
people.  Mass  is  performed  twice  daily,  besides  high- 
days  and  holidays,  when  the  ceremonies  are  much 
grander  and  of  longer  duration ;  and  at  all  the  per- 
formances every  Indian  is  obliged  to  attend,  under 
the  penalty  of  a  whipping;  and  the  same  method  of 
enforcing  proper  discipline,  as  in  kneeling  at  proper 
times,  keeping  silence,  &c.,  is  not  excluded  from  the, 
church  service  itself.  In  the  aisles  and  passages  of 
the  church,  zealous  beadles  of  the  converted  race 
are  stationed,  armed  with  sundry  weapons  of  potent 
influence  in  effecting  silence  and  attention,  and 
which  are  not  sparingly  used  on  the  refractory  or 
inattentive.  These  consist  of  sticks  and  whips,  long 
goads,  &c.,  and  they  are  not  idle  in  the  hands  of  the 
officials  that  sway  them. 

The  following  is  the  course  of  proceedings  in  the 
missions  on  ordinary  occasions ;  and  as  there  is 
little    or   no    variety    in    their    monotonous    life,    the 

*  Becchey,  vol.   ii,   p.    18. 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     219 

picture  may  be  received  as  a  general  one.  It  was 
thus  witnessed  by  Laperouse,  and  it  is  equally  extant 
at  the  present  time.  The  Indians,  as  well  as  the 
missionaries,  rise  with  the  sun  and  go  to  mass,  which 
lasts  about  an  hour.  While  this  is  in  progress,  the 
breakfast  is  prepared,  —  the  favorite  atole,  or  pottage, 
which  consists  of  barley  flour,  the  grain  being 
roasted  previously  to  grinding.  It  is  cooked  in 
large  kettles,  and  is  seasoned  with  neither  salt  nor 
butter.  Every  cottage  or  hut  sends  for  the  allow- 
ance for  all  its  inmates,  which  is  carried  home  in 
one  of  their  bark  baskets.  Any  overplus  that 
remains  is  distributed  among  the  children,  as  a  reward 
for  good  behavior,  particularly .  for  good  lessons 
in  the  catechism.  After  breakfast,  which  lasts 
about  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  they  proceed  to 
their  labors,  either  out  of  doors  or  within.  At 
.  noon,  the  dinner  is  announced  by  a  bell,  and  the 
Indians,  quitting  their  work,  go  and  receive  their 
rations  as  at  breakfast -time.  The  mess  now  served 
is  somewhat  of  the  same  kind  as  the  former,  only 
varied  by  the  addition  of  maize,  peas,  and  beans. 
It  is  named  pozok.  After  dinner,  they  return  to 
their  work,  from  two  to  four  or  five.  Afterwards, 
they  attend  evening  mass,  which  lasts  nearly  an  hour, 
and  the  day  is  finished  by  another  supply  of  atole, 
as  at  breakfast.  In  the  intervals  of  the  meals  and 
prayers,  the  Indians  are,  of  course,  variously  employed. 


220  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

according  to  their  trade  or  occupation  ;  that  is 
to  say,  either  in  agricultural  labors,  according  to 
the  season,  or  in  the  storerooms,  magazines,  and 
laboratories  of  the  mission.  The  women  are  much 
occupied  in  spinning,  and  other  little  household 
labors;  the  men,  in  combing  wool,  weaving,  melting 
tallow,  &c.,  or  as  carpenters,  shoemakers,  brick- 
layers, blacksmiths,  &c.  One  of  the  principal 
occupations  of  the  missions  is  the  manufacturing  a 
coarse  sort  of  cloth  from  the  wool  of  their  own 
sheep,  for  the  purpose  of  clothing  the  Indians,  j^ 
The  grinding  the  corn  is  left  almost  entirely  to  the 
women,  and  is  still  performed  by  a  hand-mill.  All 
the  girls  and  widows  are  kept  in  separate  houses 
during  the  day,  while  at  work,  being  only  permitted 
to  go  out  occasionally,  like  boys  at  school.  The 
unmarried  of  both  sexes,  as  well  adults  as  children, 
are  carefully  locked  up  at  night,  in  separate  houses, 
the  keys  being  left  in  the  keeping  of  the  fathers  : 
and  when  any  breach  of  this  rule  is  detected,  the 
culprits,  of  both  sexes,  are  severely  punished  by  whip- 
ping,— the  men  in  public,  the  women  privately. 

It  is  obvious  from  all  this  that  these  poor  people 
are,  in  fact,  slaves  under  another  name;  and  it  is  no 
wonder  that  Laperouse  found  the  resemblance  pain- 
fully striking  between  their  condition  and  that  of 
the  negro  slaves  of  the  West  Indies.  Sometimes, 
although   rarely,  they  attempt  to  break  their  bonds, 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     221 

and  escape  into  their  original  haunts.  But  this  is  of 
rare  occurrence,  as,  independently  of  the  difficulty 
of  escaping,  they  are  so  simple  as  to  believe  that 
they  have  hardly  the  power  to  do  so,  after  being 
baptized,  regarding  the  ceremony  of  baptism  as  a  sort 
of  spell  which  could  not  be  broken.  Occasionally, 
however,  they  overcome  all  imaginary  and  real 
obstacles,  and  effect  their  escape.  In  such  cases, 
the  runaway  is  immediately  pursued,  and  as  it 
is  always  known  to  which  tribe  he  belongs,  and 
as,  owing  to  the  enmity  subsisting  among  the 
tribes,  he  will  not  be  received  by  another,  he  is 
almost  always  found,  and  surrendered  to  the  pursuers 
by  his  pusillanimous  countrymen.  When  brought 
back  to  the  mission,  he  is  always  first  flogged,  and 
then  has  an  iron  clog  attached  to  one  of  his  legs, 
which  has  the  effect  of  preventing  his  running  away, 
and  marking  him  out  in  terrorem  to  others. 

Notwithstanding  this  dark  picture  of  the  general 
mode  of  life  of  the  converted  Indians,  it  must  not 
be  imagined  that  it  is  one  of  much  real  hardship,  or 
that  it  is  generally  thought  so  by  the  parties  them- 
selves. On  the  contrary,  it  accords  too  well  with 
the  native  indolence  of  their  character  and  total 
defect  of  all  independent  spirit.  It  is  true  that 
the  system  tends  most  powerfully  to  keep  up  and 
to  aggravate  the  natural  defects  in  their  character, 
and  to  frustrate  all  prospect  of  true   civilization  and 


222  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

all  rational  improvement.  Still,  it  cannot  be  said 
that  they  are  discontented.  If  they  lead  the  life  of 
groveling  animals,  they  have,  at  least,  their  negative 
happiness.  If  they  are  cribbed  like  the  stalled  ox, 
they  are  fed  like  him,  and  they  have  hardly  more 
care  or  fear  for  the  future  than  he  has. 

The  bliss  is  theirs 
Of  that  entire  dependence  that  prepares 
Entire  submission,   let  what  may  befall.   .   .   . 
No  forecast,   no  anxieties,   have  they : 
The  Jesuit  governs  and  instructs  and  guides ; 
Food,   raiment,   shelter,   safety,  he  provides : 
Their  part  it  is  to  honor  and  obey, 
Like  children  under  wise  paternal  sway.* 

Their  labor  is  very  light,  and  they  have  much 
leisure  time  to  waste  in  their  beloved  inaction,  or 
in  the  rude  pastimes  of  their  aboriginal  state.  These 
last  consist  chiefly  of  dances  and  certain  games,  and 
gambling  of  various  kinds.  Of  two  games  they  are 
especially  fond,  and  spend  much  of  their  time,  like 
boys,  as  they  are,  in  their  performance.  They  are 
thus  described  by  Laperouse :  ' '  The  first,  to  which 
they  give  the  name  of  takersiuy  consists  in  throw- 
ing and  rolling  a  small  hoop,  of  three  inches  in 
diameter,  in  a  space  of  ten  square  fathoms,  cleared 
of  grass.  Each  of  the  two  players  holds  a  stick,  of 
the  size  of  a  common  cane,  and  five  feet  long.  They 
endeavor  to  pass  this  stick  into  the  hoop  whilst  it  is 
in   motion.     If  in  this  they  succeed,   they  gain  two 

*  Southey :    A  Tale  of  Parag;iiay,   canto  iv,   7,   8. 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS      223 

points;  and  if  the  hoop,  when  it  stops,  simply  rests 
upon  their  stick,  they  gain  one  by  it.  The  game  is 
in  three  points.  This  game  is  a  violent  exercise, 
because  the  hoop  or  the  stick  is  always  in  motion. 

"The  other  game,  named  tousse,  is  more  easy. 
They  play  it  with  four,  —  two  on  each  side.  Each 
in  his  turn  hides  a  piece  of  wood  in  his  hands, 
whilst  his  partner  makes  a  thousand  gestures  to  take 
off  the  attention  of  the  adversaries.  It  is  curious 
enough  to  a  bystander  to  see  them  squatting  down 
opposite  to  each  other,  keeping  the  most  profound 
silence,  watching  the  features  and  most  minute  cir- 
cumstances which  may  assist  them  in  discovering 
the  hand  which  conceals  the  piece  of  wood.  They 
gain  or  lose  a  point,  according  to  their  guessing 
right  or  wrong,  and  those  who  gain  have  a  right 
to  hide  in  their  turn.  The  game  is  five  points,  and 
the  common  stake  is  beads."  * 

These  and  other  games  of  chance,  some  of  them 
learnt  from  the  Spaniards,  as  those  at  cards,  are 
indulged  in  to  a  criminal  excess ;  and  frequently 
they  lose,  in  this  way,  all  they  can  call  their  own, — 
the  clothes  off  their  backs,  the  favors  of  their  wives, 
and  even  their  wives  themselves.  This  picture  is 
not  softened  by  the  addition  of  intoxication,  —  a 
vice   not   infrequent   in   the   missions. 

From   the   total    subjection   in    which   the   Indians 

*  Laperouse,  vol.   ii,  p.   224. 


224  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

grow  up  and  live,  never  being  taught,  or  indeed 
allowed,  to  act,  and  hardly  to  think,  for  them- 
selves, it  could  scarcely  be  expected  that  they  should 
attain  any  real  knowledge  of  life  or  independence 
of  conduct,  even  if  they  had  been  originally  of 
a  better  stock.  As  it  is,  they  are,  in  regard  to 
the  capacity  and  power  of  acting  as  members 
of  a  civilized  community,  on  a  lower  scale  than 
even  the  domesticated  negroes  of  the  West  Indian 
colonies.  They  are  reduced  to  the  state  of  mere 
automatons,  totally  subjected  to  the  direction  and 
guidance  of  others.  It  has  accordingly  been  inva- 
riably found  that  when  any  of  them  have  been  set 
at  liberty,  or  placed  in  a  position  to  act  for  them- 
selves, by  leaving  the  missions  or  otherwise,  they 
were  utterly  incapable  of  maintaining  themselves ; 
nay,  even  so  stupid  as  to  be  incapable  of  exercising 
the  office  of  a  beggar,  even  when  their  very  exist- 
ence seemed  at  stake.  This  seems  hardly  credible, 
yet  it  is  a  fact. 

The  extreme  state  of  debasement  in  which  they 
are  held  not  only  has  deprived  them  of  their  mental 
powers,  but  it  has  diminished  their  physical  strength. 
They  are  not  only  stupid  and  pusillanimous,  but 
puny  and  feeble.  It  is  well  known  that  savages  are 
prone  to  be  filthy  in  their  habitations  ;  but,  in  their 
natural  state,  their  living  so  much  in  the  open  air, 
their  exertions  in  hunting  and  diversions,  counteract 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      225 

this  cause  of  disease ;  but  at  the  missions,  the 
Indians  being  still  allowed  to  live  in  all  their  native 
filthiness,  and  their  lives  being  now  comparatively 
sedentary,  with  little  corporeal  and  less  mental 
exercise,  they  inevitably  grow  up  debilitated  in 
body  as  well  as  in  mind.  And  how  could  it  be 
otherwise  ? 

All  thoughts  and  occupations  to  commute. 
To  change  their  air,   their  water,   and  their  food, 
And  those  old  habits  suddenly  uproot, 
Conformed  to  which  the  vital  powers  pursued 
Their  functions,  —  such  mutation  is  too  rude 
For  man's  fine  frame  unshaken  to  sustain.* 

Great  numbers  fall  a  prey  to  fevers,  dysenteries, 
and  other  acute  diseases.  Langsdorff  tells  us  that 
the  missionaries  informed  him  that  upon  the  least 
illness  they  become  wholly  cast  down,  and  lose  all 
courage  and  care  for  recovery,  refusing  to  attend  to 
the  diet  or  anything  else  recommended  for  them. 
Chronic  diseases  of  various  kinds  are  also  prevalent, 
and  add  to  the  mortality.  Syphilis  prevails  to  a 
frightful  extent,  being  indeed  almost  universal,  not 
only  among  the  Indians,  but  the  Creoles  and  Spaniards. 
It  produces  frightful  ravages  among  the  former,  as 
they  refuse  all  treatment  of  it,  even  when  this  is 
accessible  to  them,  which  is  not  always  the  case. 
These  circumstances,  with  the  natural  tendency 
which    all    the    Indian    race    have    to    diminish    in 

*  Southey:    A  Tale  of  Paraguay,  canto  iv,   28. 
15  Q 


226  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

numbers  in  a  state  of  civilization,  much  more  in  a 
state  of  bondage,  make  the  loss  of  life  very  great  in 
the  missions ;  and  now  that  fresh  recruits  can  be 
procured  with  difficulty,  and,  under  recent  events, 
probably  not  at  all,  and  consequently  the  stock 
maintained  only  by  the  procreation  of  those  already 
domesticated,  it  is  probable  that  the  whole  race 
will  gradually  diminish,  and,  in  a  few  generations 
more,  will   become   entirely  extinct. 

In  concluding  this  sketch  of  the  present  state 
of  the  domesticated  Indians  of  California,  which 
unquestionably  betrays  a  lamentable  want  of  judg- 
ment and  sound  philosophy  on  the  part  of  the  men 
who  have  been  the  original  founders,  and  are  still 
the  strenuous  supporters,  of  the  system  under  which 
these  melancholy  results  have  arisen,  it  would  be 
extreme  injustice  not  to  place  in  the  strongest 
contrast  with  their  want  of  judgment  the  excellent 
motives  and  most  benevolent  and  Christian  -  like 
intentions  by  which  they  have  been  always  influenced. 
Considering  the  perfectly  absolute  and  totally  irre- 
sponsible power  possessed  by  the  missionaries  over 
the  Indians,  their  conduct  must  be  allowed  to  have 
been  invariably  marked  by  a  degree  of  benevolence 
and  humanity  and  moderation  probably  unexampled 
in  any  other  situation.  To  each  missionary  is 
allotted  the  entire  and  exclusive  management  of  his 
mission.     He  is  the  absolute  lord  and  master  of  all 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     227 

his  Indians,  and  of  the  soil.  He  directs,  without  the 
least  interference  from  others,  all  the  operations 
and  economy  of  the  establishment,  —  agricultural, 
mechanical,  manufacturing,  and  commercial,  —  and 
disposes,  according  to  his  will  and  pleasure,  of 
the  produce  thereof.  He  allots  his  lands ;  orders 
his  seed  -  time  and  harvest ;  distributes  his  cattle ; 
encourages,  chastises,  and  commands  all  the  human 
beings  under  his  charge, — and  all  this  without  being 
accountable  to  any  power  on  earth ;  for,  by  a  conve- 
nient fiction,  this  property  belongs  to  the  Indians, 
and  the  Indians  are  his  slaves.  There  are,  I  fear, 
few  examples  to  be  found,  where  men  enjoying 
such  unlimited  confidence  and  power  have  not 
abused  them.  And  yet  I  have  never  heard  that 
the  missionaries  of  California  have  not  acted  with 
the  most  perfect  fidelity,  or  that  they  ever  betrayed 
their  trust  or  exercised  inhumanity,  and  the  testi- 
mony of  all  travelers  who  have  visited  this  country 
is  uniformly  to  the  same  effect.  On  the  contrary, 
there  are  recorded  instances  of  the  most  extraordinary 
zeal,  industry,  and  philanthropy  in  the  conduct 
of  those  men.  Since  the  country  has  been  more 
opened,  strangers  have  found  at  their  missions  the 
most  generous  and  disinterested  hospitality,  protection, 
and  kindness,  and  this  without  one  solitary  instance 
to  the  contrary,  that  I  have  ever  heard  of. 

I    cannot   avoid   this  opportunity  of   gratifying  my 

Q2 


228  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

feelings  by  noticing  in  a  more  especial  manner  one 
of  those  worthy  men,  as  affording  a  recent  example 
of  what  I   have  said  of  their  order. 

Father  Antonio  Peyri,  whose  portrait  appears 
in  the  front  of  this  volume,  took  possession  of  the 
mission  of  San  Luis  Rey  in  the  year  1798.  He 
first  built  a  small  thatched  cottage,  and  asked  for 
a  few  cattle  and  Indians  from  the  mission.  After  a 
constant  residence  of  thirty-four  years  at  this  place, 
he  left  it  stocked  with  nearly  sixty  thousand  head 
of  domesticated  animals  of  all  sorts,  and  yielding 
an  annual  produce  of  about  thirteen  thousand 
bushels  of  grain,  while  the  population  amounted 
to  nearly  three  thousand  Indians  !  He  left  also  a 
complete  set  of  buildings,  including  a  church,  with 
inclosures,  &c.  Yet,  after  these  thirty-four  years  of 
incessant  labor,  in  which  he  expended  the  most 
valuable  part  of  his  life,  the  worthy  Peyri  left  his 
mission  with  only  what  he  judged  to  be  sufficient 
means  to  enable  him  to  join  his  convent  in  the 
city  of  Mexico,  where  he  threw  himself  upon  the 
charity  of  his  order.  The  toil  of  managing  such 
an  establishment  would  be  sufficient  motive  for  a 
man  of  Father  Peyri' s  age  to  retire  ;  but  the  new 
order  of  things,  which  has  introduced  new  men  and 
new  measures, —  when  the  political  power  has  been 
intrusted  to  heads  not  over- wise,  and  to  hands  not 
over-pure,  when  the  theoretical  doctrines  of  liberty  and 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      229 

equality  have  been  preached,  while  oppression  and 
rapine  have  been  practiced,  —  has  doubtless  accelerated 
his  resignation.  Whatever  his  motives  may  have 
been,  his  voluntary  retirement  in  poverty,  to  spend 
his  remaining  days  in  pious  exercises,  must  be 
applauded  by  the  religious,  and  his  noble  disinter- 
estedness by  all.  At  his  mission,  strangers  of  all 
countries  and  modes  of  faith,  as  well  as  his  fellow- 
subjects,  found  always  a  hearty  welcome  and  the 
utmost  hospitality.  Many  of  my  countrymen  and 
personal  friends  have  related  to  me  with  enthusiasm 
the  kindness  and  protection  which  they  have  received 
at  his  hands,  —  boons  which  are  doubly  valuable 
where  places  of  entertainment  do  not  exist,  and 
where   security   is   not   very   firmly   established. 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  Father  Peyri  on 
his  way  to  Mexico,  and  although  I  had  heard  much 
of  him  before,  yet  his  prepossessing  appearance,  his 
activity,  and  knowledge  of  the  world,  far  above  what 
could  have  been  expected  under  the  circumstances, 
gave  me  even  a  higher  opinion  of  his  worth  than 
I  before  entertained.  The  excellent  climate  from 
which  he  had  come,  and  his  constant  employment 
in  the  open  air,  made  him  look  like  a  robust  man 
of  fifty  years  of  age,  although  he  was  then  sixty- 
seven  ;  and  although  his  general  character  and 
manners  were  necessarily  very  different  from  what 
could  be  expected  from  a  mere  cloistered  monk,  yet 


230  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  his  gray  Franciscan  habit,  which  he  always  wore, 
with  his  jolly  figure,  bald  head,  and  white  locks, 
he  looked  the  very  beau  ideal  of  a  friar  of  the  olden 
time.  This  worthy  man,  having  now  entered  the 
cloisters  of  a  convent,  may  be  considered  as  dead 
to  the  world ;  but  he  will  live  long  in  the  memory 
of  the  inhabitants  of  California,  and  of  those  numer- 
ous strangers  who  have  been  entertained  at  his 
hospitable   board   at   San    Luis   Rey. 

The  best  and  most  unequivocal  proof  of  the  good 
conduct  of  these  fathers  is  to  be  found  in  the 
unbounded  affection  and  devotion  invariably  shown 
towards  them  by  their  Indian  subjects.  They  venerate 
them  not  merely  as  friends  and  fathers,  but  with 
a  degree  of  devotedness  approaching  to  adoration. 
On  the  occasion  of  the  removals  that  have  taken  place 
of  late  years  from  political  causes,  the  distress  of 
the  Indians,  in  parting  with  their  pastors,  has  been 
extreme.  They  have  entreated  to  be  allowed  to 
follow  them  in  their  exile,  with  tears  and  lamen- 
tations, and  with  all  the  demonstrations  of  true 
sorrow  and  unbounded  affection.  Indeed,  if  ever 
there  existed  an  instance  of  the  perfect  justice  and 
propriety  of  the  comparison  of  the  priest  and  his 
disciples  to  a  shepherd  and  his  flock,  it  is  in  the 
case  of  which  we  are  treating.  These  poor  people 
may  indeed  be  classed  with  the  "silly  sheep,"  more 
than   with    any   other   animal  ;     and    I    believe    they 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS      231 

would,  in  the  words  of  the  poet,  even  "  Hck  the 
hand,"  though  it  were  ''raised  to  shed  their  blood," 
—  if  this  were  the  hand  of  the  friar. 


Before  concluding  this  sketch  of  missionary  and 
of  still  Indian  life,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate 
or  useless  to  consider,  in  a  few  words,  the  actual 
benefits  conferred  by  the  missionary  systems  of  con- 
verting savage  nations  ;  what  is  the  relative  value  of 
those  systems  ;  and  whether  they  are  the  best  that 
could   be   adopted. 

In  the  first  place,  what  have  the  natives  of  Cali- 
fornia gained  by  the  labors  of  the  missionaries .? 
What  service  have  those  friars  rendered  to  the 
Spanish  nation,  or  to  the  world  in  general .?  They 
have  transformed  the  aborigines  of  a  beautiful 
country  from  free  savages  into  pusillanimous,  super- 
stitious slaves  ;  they  have  taken  from  them  the 
enjoyment  of  the  natural  productions  of  a  delicious 
country,  and  ministered  to  them  the  bare  neces- 
saries of  life,  and  that  on  the  condition  of  being 
bondsmen  forever.  Is  there  any  one  who  can 
suppose  that  those  men,  who  formerly  wandered 
in  their  native  wilds,  ' '  free  as  the  wind  on  their 
mountains,"  were  not  happier  than  the  wretched 
herds  of  human  animals  which  are  now  penned 
in     the     missionary     folds  ?       It     must     be     owned 


232  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

that  the  arts  of  agriculture  and  the  use  of  the 
domestic  animals  are  infinitely  preferable  to  the 
scanty  endowments  of  the  hunter  or  barbarian  state; 
but  what  share  of  the  blessings  resulting  from  these 
do  the  Indians  enjoy  ?  They  are  made  to  assist  in 
the  toil  which  those  improvements  bring  along  with 
them  ;  but  for  this  toil  they  have  no  reward  ;  for 
them  there  are  no  hopes  !  Can  any  one,  of  a  well- 
constituted  mind,  approve  of  this  transformation,  or 
reflect  on  it  without  sorrow  ? 

Admitting,  which  I  most  readily  do,  that  the 
natives  in  this  part  of  America  were  and  are  very 
low  in  the  scale  of  even  savage  happiness,  surely  we 
must  allow  that  their  actual  condition  as  domesti- 
cated animals  —  I  will  not  say  as  civilized  men — is  a 
degree  even  below  this,  when  we  look  to  the  mind, 
the  only  source,  seat,  and  criterion  of  enjoyment  that 
deserves  the  name  of  human.  True  it  is,  as  the  poet 
whom  we  have  already  several  times  quoted,  says  of 
them,  — 

Their  inoffensive  lives  in  pupilage, 

Perpetually,  but  peacefully,  they  led, 
From  all  temptation  saved,  and  sure  of  daily  bread. 

Still,  I  think,  no  one  with  the  feelings  of  a  man, 
capable  and  conscious  of  independence,  will  for  a 
moment  prefer  this  happiness  of  the  stalled  ox  to  the 
enjoyments  of  the  free  and  robust  Californian  savages 
(checkered     and     embittered     as    these     enjoyments 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     233 

"were  with  many  hardships  and  privations)  when 
left  to  subsist  on  the  spontaneous  productions  of 
their  woods  and  fields ;  tracking  the  wild  deer  on 
their  plains ;  bringing  up  fish  from  their  waters ; 
traversing,  without  control,  their  forests  and  their 
mountains ;  or  basking,  in  dreamy  inactivity,  on  the 
banks  of  their  rivers,  or  on  the  shores  of  the  ocean. 
Does  it  benefit  the  world  more  that  twenty  thousand 
Indians  should  live  in  aggregated  huts  on  one  side 
of  the  mountains,  than  in  scattered  tribes  on  the 
other  ?  Does  it  promote  the  cause  of  true  religion 
that  this  number  of  beings  should  be  repeating 
the  offices  of  San  Francisco,  and  singing  hymns 
before  the  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  in  a  church, 
more  than  that  an  equal  number  should  offer  their 
orisons  under  the  canopy  of  heaven  to  the  supreme 
being  whom  they  suppose  to  be  represented  by  the 
rising  sun  ?  I  think  not ;  but  it  certainly  interests 
humanity  to  know  that  one  of  the  finest  countries 
on  earth  has  been  doomed  to  be  the  abode  of  men 
reclaimed  from  one  state  of  misery  and  barbarism, 
only  to  be  plunged  in  another  sort  of  barbarism  and 
an  aggravated  state  of  misery,  whereas,  under  other 
management,  it  might  now  have  been  the  abode  of 
millions  of  the  human  race,  enjoying  all  the  advantages 
and  comforts  of  civilization  and  opulence,  which 
some  other  states  of  America,  not  so  favorably  situ- 
ated, are  so  fully  possessed  of.      The  mind  of   man 


234  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

can  hardly  conceive  a  contrast  more  complete  than 
that  between  the  present  state  of  California  and 
the  United  States  of  America.  On  the  one  hand, 
we  see  an  immense  population  formed  into  a  com- 
munity governed  by  wise  laws,  and  outvying  the 
old  countries  of  Europe  not  only  in  the  arts  of  life 
and  the  various  improvements  of  modern  times,  but 
even  in  numbers,  sending  out  fleets  over  all  the  earth, 
and  in  constant  and  intimate  connection  with  the 
whole  world.  On  the  other  hand,  we  see  a  few 
helpless  slaves  engaged  in  superstitious  exercises, 
immersed  in  the  most  complete  ignorance,  utterly 
unknowing  and  unknown  to  all  beyond  the  precincts 
of  their  wretched  huts !  If  North  America  had  been 
first  peopled  under  the  influence  of  Spanish  friars; 
if  the  red  men  of  the  north  had  been  inclosed  in 
folds,  and  taught  to  sing  hallelujahs  to  the  Virgin 
and  repeat  the  offices  of  San  Francisco ;  if  they  had 
been  made  nominal  owners  of  the  soil,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  white  men,  and  governed  according  to  the 
Franciscan  system, — what  would  have  been  the  rank 
of  that  country  at  this  day  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth  ?  Nay,  had  even  Mexico,  Peru,  and  the 
other  Spanish  colonies,  been  subjected  to  this  system, 
what  figure  would  they  have  now  made  in  the  new 
world  of  republics  ? 

All    that   we   can   allow   is,    that    the    missionaries 
are    honest    men ;     that   they   pursue   with   assiduity 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     235 

"what  they  believe  to  be  their  duty;  that  they  labor 
in  their  vocation  with  zeal.     But  we  entirely  ronHernn 

thprr__Rysfpmj    anA     kmpnf    I'tc    r(:'si]1<"'' ^In    their    view 

of  the  subject,  the  conversion  of  those  infidels  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  faith  is  the  sole  object  of  their 
labors.  Attention  to  their  temporal  comforts  or 
intellectual  cultivation  cannot  be  expected  of  teachers 
whose  tenets  are,  that  to  abstain  from  all  worldly 
comforts,  and  to  despise  all  human  learning,  is  their 
paramount  duty.  Consequently  no  instruction  has 
ever  been  given  to  their  neophytes,  beyond  learning 
to  repeat,  in  Spanish  or  Latin,  the  offices  of  the 
Church.  Those  offices  they,  of  course,  repeat  by 
rote,  without  at  all  knowing  their  meaning ;  but 
as  it  is  sufficient  in  the  Romish  Church  that  its 
members  perform  the  ceremonies,  and  repeat  the 
offices  in  any  language,  whether  understood  or  not, 
the  jargon  muttered  by  the  Indians  is  perfectly  ortho- 
dox, and  entitles  them  to  all  the  future  happiness 
which  this  infallible  Church  has  to  bestow. 

What  would  those  respectable  and  philanthropic 
persons  think,  who  are  so  numerous  in  England,  and 
so  much  interested  in  the  propagation  of  civiliza- 
tion and  religion,  if  all  their  labors  and  immense 
pecuniary  sacrifices  ended  only  in  changing  the 
condition  of  the  wild  but  free  inhabitants  of  a 
fine  country  into  one  of  slavery  and  superstition  ? 
Would   they  consider   the   religious,   moral,   or   tem- 


\^ 


236  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

poral  advantages  of  pusillanimous  slaves  to  be  very 
superior  to  the  original  condition  of  the  wild  infidel 
hunters  ?  I  know  there  are  none  of  those  benevo- 
lent persons  who  would  be  satisfied  with  such  a 
transformation ;  but  I  fear  some  of  their  own  enter- 
prises have  not  had  much  better  success.  It  is  true 
that  their  agents  and  missionaries  have  other  aims 
than  those  of  the  Spanish  Catholic  friars.  Their 
views  are  to  instruct  those  they  convert,  and  they  are 
more  fastidious  in  admitting  their  neophytes  to  the 
rites  of  baptism  and  other  privileges  of  Christianity. 
This  is,  no  doubt,  as  it  should  be,  but  it  has  the 
effect  of  diminishing  greatly  the  number  of  prose- 
lytes, and  experience  has  shown  how  infinitely 
more  successful  the  Catholic  missionaries  have  been 
than  the  Protestant.  I  do  not  mention  this  with 
a  view  to  recommend  the  Catholic  system,  but  I 
cannot  help  thinking  that  some  modification  of  the 
rigid  British  missionary  plan  might  be  adopted 
which  would  be  more  successful.  I  even  venture 
to  think  that  men  might  be  easier  reclaimed 
from  a  savage,  barbarous,  or  semi  -  barbarous  state 
by  other  means  than  by  that  of  religion.  I  do  not 
mean  that  they  should  be  left  without  religious 
instruction.  Far  from  it.  But  I  mean  to  say  that 
the  first  attempt  to  civilize  them  might  be  better 
done  by  teaching  them,  by  degrees,  the  arts  and 
comforts    of    a    more    advanced    state   of    society    by 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS      237 

laymen.  How  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  a  savage 
could,  on  the  very  first  contact  with  a  stranger,  be 
made  to  comprehend  a  series  of  mysteries,  of  which 
he  never  before  dreamed,  and  which  are  in  exact 
contradiction  to  all  the  knowledge  or  prejudices  of 
his  bygone  life, — to  everything  which  he  had  hitherto 
considered  sacred  and  venerable,  and  which  had 
been  handed  down  to  him,  in  the  ancestral  legends, 
with  the  character  of  incontrovertible  truths  ?  — 
those  new  mysteries,  too,  being  such  that  reason 
alone  cannot  enable  the  most  powerful  mind,  even 
of  those  born  under  the  Christian  dispensation, 
to  comprehend.  It  is  impossible  that  savages 
should  be  made,  at  once,  saints  or  philosophers ; 
but  I  think  a  system  of  progressive  instruction,  by 
enlightened  and  prudent  teachers,  whose  duty  should 
be,  not  to  instill  literary  or  religious  knowledge 
so  much  as  the  common  arts  of  life,  might  be 
successful  in  bringing  a  people,  living  in  a  state  of 
barbarism  and  ignorance,  to  adopt  great  improvements 
in  the  course  of  time,  and  finally  accomplish  their 
complete  civilization.  I  do  not  despair  that  the 
time  will  come  when,  instead  of  illiterate  fanatics 
with  cargoes  of  Bibles  and  religious  tracts  only, 
prudent  men  will  be  sent  among  the  heathens, 
carrying  with  them,  Bibles  and  tracts  certainly, 
but  also  agricultural  and  manufacturing  implements, 
useful  mechanical  inventions,  furniture,  and  clothing. 


238  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

with  instructions  to  reclaim  the  savage,  not  merely 
by  the  terrors  of  future  punishments,  but  likewise 
by  the  fascination  of  a  more  comfortable  worldly 
existence. 

I  much  question  if  ever  the  task  should  be  under- 
taken of  attempting  to  instruct  the  adult  savages 
in  any  sort  of  literary  knowledge  ;  and  I  have  some 
doubts  of  the  possibility  of  instilling  into  their 
minds  the  rudiments  even  of  the  Christian  religion ; 
but,  under  a  proper  system,  no  difficulty  need  be 
apprehended  of  the  children  imbibing  as  much 
literary  instruction  as  should  be  thought  necessary, 
and  of  their  learning  thoroughly  all  the  tenets  of 
Christianity.  I  should  hope,  however,  it  would  in 
all  cases  become  consistent  with  the  promotion  of 
religious  instruction  to  teach  it  in  a  milder  form  than 
is  usually  done  by  the  Protestant  missionaries  abroad. 
Can  it  be  supposed  that  a  human  being,  arrived 
at  the  use  of  reason,  will  hear  for  the  first  time, 
without  the  most  appalling  horror,  the  announce- 
ment of  a  future  abode  of  penal  fire,  into  which  he 
must  be  cast  forever  if  he  do  not  renounce  all  his 
former  customs  and  religion,  and  conform  to  certain 
conditions  which  must  at  first  sight  appear  to  him 
impossible  ?  In  this  first  encounter,  is  it  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  the  savage  imbibes  an  unconquerable 
aversion  to  the  new  creed,  or  is  inspired  with  a  dis- 
belief of  its  truth,  never  afterwards  to  be  overcome  ? 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS     239 

Those  missionaries,  however  well  meaning  they 
may  be,  take  generally  an  erroneous  view  of  the 
means  they  ought  to  adopt  for  the  accomplishment 
of  the  end  they  are  pursuing.  It  also  happens  but 
too  often  that  those  men,  in  addition  to  their  pro- 
fession of  religious  teachers,  assume  the  character 
of  legislators  and  governors,  for  which  offices  none 
can  generally  be  more  unfit ;  and  when  they  are  so 
situated  that,  they  can,  without  control,  exercise  such 
powers,  the  greatest  disorder  and  mischief  have 
ensued.  Instead  of  making  good  Christians  or  a 
moral  and  industrious  people  of  the  natives,  they 
have  merely  broken  up  all  their  old  customs  and 
rude  rules  of  morality  and  order,  and  converted 
them  into  a  lawless  and  profligate  rabble.  This, 
according  to  the  report  of  some  of  the  most  respect- 
able voyagers,  is  the  case  in  many,  at  least,  of  the 
islands  in  the  South  Sea,  where  the  missionaries 
have  had  the  most  unlimited  opportunity  of  domi- 
neering. 

Is  there,  then,  no  possibility  of  civilizing  mankind 
but  by  divines  ?  Would  an  enlightened  layman  have 
no  influence  over  savage  people  ?  Would  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  art  of  agriculture,  of  mechanical 
inventions,  of  the  use  of  clothing,  of  good  houses 
and  furniture,  of  the  comforts  enjoyed  by  other 
men,  have  no  charms  for  people  destitute  of  all 
these   things  ?     Would    the   advantages   of    improved 


240  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

implements  and  improved  accommodation,  good 
clothes  and  good  food,  have  no  attractions  for 
them  ?  Would  the  plain  and  easily  understood 
explanation  of  all  these  advantages,  told  by  a  man 
of  this  world,  be  less  attended  to  than  the  rhapso- 
dies of  an  enthusiast,  whose  benefits  are  all  in 
prospect,  and  the  most  comprehensible  of  whose 
doctrines  announces  an  eternity  of  horrors  in  another 
life  ? 

When  religious  instruction  becomes  necessary 
and  practicable,  certainly  let  it  be  taught ;  but  let 
it  be  taught  as  in  every  civilized  country,  under 
the  control  of  the  civil  power.  Experience  teaches 
us  that  missionaries  —  such  missionaries  as  have 
heretofore  been  sent  to  foreign  countries,  among 
savage  tribes  —  are  not  fit  to  be  intrusted  with  civil 
power.  They  have  never  yet  succeeded  in  governing 
well,  —  not  even  an  island  of  Madripores  inhabited 
by  a  few  families. 

The  foregoing  observations  apply  to  religious 
missionaries,  such  as  they  are  at  present,  or,  at 
least,  such  as  they  were  formerly ;  and  I  repeat,  that 
laymen,  capable  of  merely  instructing  savages  in 
things  concerning  their  temporal  weal  and  com- 
fort, would  be  infinitely  more  serviceable  to  them, 
and  to  the  cause  of  humanity  and  Christianity,  as 
primary  teachers,  than  such  men  can  possibly  be. 
I    am,    however,    far    from    thinking    that    religious 


MISSIONARY   ESTABLISHMENTS      241 

missionaries  might  not  be  so  educated  as  to  combine 
all  the  advantages  to  be  found  in  lay  teachers,  with 
the  capacity  and  authority  to  instruct  in  religion 
also.  In  regard  to  such  instructors,  I  would  only 
say  that  they  should  be  careful,  in  combining 
the  spiritual  with  the  temporal  information,  not 
to  give  too  prominent  a  position  to  the  former, 
but  rather  to  insinuate  than  enforce  their  severer 
precepts,  trusting,  in  the  first  instance,  to  the  means 
already  mentioned  as  more  suited  to  the  capacities 
and  ignorance  of  their  pupils.  I  have  been  so 
long  absent  from  England,  that  I  know  not  whether 
there  is  any  special  education  for  those  who  are 
now  sent  abroad  as  missionaries  ;  but  I  am  sure 
there  will  be  no  success  in  the  undertaking  until 
they  are  not  only  instructed  in  the  arts  of  Ufe  most 
calculated  to  attract  and  benefit  the  savage,  but 
taught  also  (to  pious  men  the  severer  lesson  of  the 
two)  to  let  the  earthly  food  of  temporal  knowledge 
take  the  precedence,  and  even  for  a  time  to  super- 
sede the  heavenly  manna  which  it  is  their  more 
especial   duty   to   administer. 

Although  the  system  of  the  Catholic  missionaries 
may  not  much  improve  the  moral  or  physical  state 
of  their  converts,  yet  their  success  in  gaining  prose- 
lytes must  ever  be  superior  to  that  of  the  Protestant, 
particularly  the  English  Methodist  Protestant.  Noth- 
ing  can   be   better   adapted    to    captivate    the    simple 

16  R 


242  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

savage  than  the  gorgeous  ceremonies  of  the  CathoHc 
service  ;  nor  can  there  be  agents  more  fitting  than 
the  persevering  and  well  -  discipUned  friar,  whose 
whole  life  and  studies  have  been  directed  to  this 
end,  whose  angry  passions  no  injury  can  rouse,  or 
whose  humility  and  patience  no  insult  or  obstacle 
can  overcome.  With  him  our  missionary  can  bear 
no  comparison,  any  more  than  can  the  attractions 
of  their  respective  forms  of  worship.  To  a  savage, 
who  must  be  chiefly  taught  through  the  medium  of 
his  senses,  the  Catholic  service  is  most  fascinating. 
The  whole  ceremony  of  the  mass  is  performed  by 
a  sort  of  dumb  show,  accompanied  with  music  and 
glittering  ornaments,  which  may  be  said  to  be  just 
as  well  understood  by  a  savage  of  California  as  by 
an  hidalgo  of  Spain,  and  which  will  soon  become  to 
the  one  as  it  is  to  the  other,  a  duty  or  a  show  which 
he  feels  himself  uneasy  at  missing.  He  will  also 
soon  be  made  to  believe  that  on  such  easy  terms 
as  attending  punctually  on  this  pleasing  exhibition 
he  will  be  entitled  to  everlasting  happiness.  By 
the  tenets  of  the  Catholic  Church,  this  title  is  not 
doubtful,  but  positive ;  for  its  dogmas  teach  that 
the  fiat  of  the  priest  in  this  world  is  certainly  con- 
firmed in  heaven,  if  the  exercises  prescribed  are 
performed.  Not  so  the  doctrine  of  Protestantism, 
even  when  administered  by  the  calm  and  rational 
minister  of  an  established  church  ;    for  even  then  a 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      243 

doubt  hangs  over  the  mind  of  the  most  virtuous  ; 
but  when  the  doctrine  of  a  doubtful  salvation  and 
an  eternity  of  punishment  is  inculcated  by  a  fanatical 
Methodist,  who  not  infrequently  may  be  taken  from 
the  anvil  to  hammer  divinity  into  the  heads  of  the 
heathen,  then  a  truly  sledge-hammer  method  of 
conversion  is  the  result,  and  the  astonished  convert 
cannot  but  be  confounded  with  horror !  This  gloomy 
doctrine  is  increased  by  the  nudity  and  somber 
style  of  their  places  of  worship  ;  sometimes,  also, 
by  the  austere  and  forbidding  physiognomy  of  the 
preacher,  whom  the  frightened  hearer  often  regards 
as  directing  his  eyes  and  his  denunciations  to  him 
individually.  Under  such  circumstances,  there  are 
not  wanting  examples  of  the  scared  savage  fairly 
taking  to  his  heels,  and  fleeing  from  the  preacher 
and   his   doctrines   forever. 

When  the  Protestant  missionaries  have  absolute 
dominion,  as  in  some  of  the  islands,  and  among 
insulated  tribes,  they  put  down  all  the  ancient  cus- 
toms and  diversions,  however  innocent,  not  solely 
by  persuasion,  but  by  coercion,  and  in  this  way  their 
gloomy  system  is  carried  to  its  extreme.  This  is 
another  of  the  great  causes  of  their  inferiority  to 
Catholic  missionaries  in  gaining  the  good  will  of 
savages.  The  prohibition  of  sports  and  diversions 
to  men  bred  in  a  savage  state,  and  comparatively 
idle,   will   be   always   intolerable.     They   have   much 

R  2 


244  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

time  which  cannot  be  otherwise  filled  up ;  and  so 
strongly  will  their  ancient  customs  have  fixed  them- 
selves in  their  very  constitutions,  that  it  will  be 
impossible  for  them  to  forego  altogether  their  use; 
and  when  it  is  attempted  to  deprive  them  thereof, 
the  loss  of  their  friendship  and  confidence  will 
inevitably  be  the  consequence.  Of  the  diversions 
amongst  savages,  music  and  dancing  form  the  chief 
part ;  and  as  both  these  exercises  are  contrary  to 
the  tenets  of  some  of  the  Protestant  missionaries, 
they  must  be  absolutely  prohibited  ;  so  that  on  the 
first  encounter  the  missionary  and  his  convert  are 
at  issue.  The  poor  savage  finds  himself  debarred 
from  all  his  pleasures,  and  deprived  of  what  he 
thought  a  recompense  for  his  toil  and  his  privations. 
The  white  man  comes  and  takes  away  the  few 
comforts  he  hitherto  enjoyed.  And  what  does  he 
give  him  in  return  ?  Why,  he  promises  him  that 
if  he  lays  aside  the  song  and  the  dance,  foregoes  all 
pleasure  and  mirth,  puts  on  a  sour  instead  of  a 
laughing  countenance,  attends  to  the  rhapsody  of  the 
preacher,  —  then  he  promises  that  he  may  perhaps 
escape  being  damned  forever,  and  avoid  passing  his 
eternity  amid  fire  and  brimstone  prepared  for  him 
in  the  world  to  come.  This  is  no  encouraging  out- 
set for  one  who  was  taught  to  think  that  he  could 
dance  and  sing  till  the  end  of  his  mortal  days, 
and   then   join   his   departed   friends  in   the   land   of 


MISSIONARY    ESTABLISHMENTS      245 

spirits  beyond  the  western  wave,  to  spend  his  eternity 
in  bHss.  It  is  no  wonder  if  such  expounders  of 
the  Scripture  appear  to  the  untutored  savage  more 
Hke  the  agents  of  an  evil  spirit,  sent  on  earth  to 
terrify  mankind,  than  the  ministers  of  a  benevolent 
God,  who  ' '  willeth  not  the  death  of  a  sinner ' ' ; 
more  like  the  sowers  of  the  seeds  of  evil,  than  the 
cultivators  of  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  mercy ! 
There  can  hardly  be  a  greater  contrast  than  between 
a  jolly,  laughing  friar,  cajoling  his  converts  into 
his  fold  by  indulging  their  innocent  foibles  and  pro- 
pensities, and  the  spare,  sour,  ascetic  Methodist, 
who  takes  from  his  followers  all  their  pastimes  and 
pleasures ;  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  contrast 
in  the  numerical  results  of  their  conversions  is  no 
less   striking. 


CHAPTER    VI 

STATE     OF    AGRICULTURE     IN     UPPER     CALIFORNIA.  —  ITS 
PRODUCE     IN     GRAIN    AND     LIVE-STOCK 

The  lands  of  California,  as  we  have  seen,  are  almost 
exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  missionaries,  and 
consequently  its  agricultural  opcratioms  are  chiefly 
carried  on  by  them.  This  art  or  science  is  well 
known  not  to  be,  even  now,  in  a  very  advanced 
state  in  Spain,  and  could  not  possibly  have  been  well 
understood,  even  in  its  then  state,  by  the  monks 
who  first  settled  in  Californta  in  the  last  century. 
The  actual  state  of  agriculture  in  this  country  — 
which  has  not  in  any  degree  improved  since  its 
first  introduction  —  may,  consequently,  easily  be 
imagined  to  be  most  rude  and  backward.  It  is 
not  thought  necessary  by  those  primitive  farmers 
to  study  the  use  of  fallows  or  green  crops  ;  to 
adopt  the  six  or  seven  course  shifty  or  any  other 
shift  whatever  ;  nor  to  study  the  alternation  of 
white  and  leguminous  grains,  or  any  such  modes 
of  improved  husbandry.     These  arc  refinements  they 

24« 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  247 

never  heard  or  dreamed  of,  and  it  would  be  as 
reasonable  to  expect  that  they  should  adopt  such 
novelties  as  that  they  would  the  doctrines  of 
Luther  or  Calvin.  Their  only  plan  of  renovating  the 
fertility  of  an  exhausted  soil  is  to  let  it  rest  from 
culture,  and  to  abandon  it  to  its  native  weeds  until 
it  may  again  be  thought  capable  of  bearing  crops 
of  grain.  From  the  superabundance  of  land  in  the 
country,  a  second  cultivation  of  exhausted  ground 
is  not  resorted  to  for  many  years,  and  perhaps  not 
at   all. 

The  grains  chiefly  cultivated  are  maize  or  Indian 
corn,  wheat,  barley,  and  a  kind  of  small  bean 
called  frijol.  This  bean  is  in  universal  use  all  over 
Spanish  America,  and  is  a  most  pleasant  food. 
They  are  cooked  when  in  a  ripe  state,  fried  with 
lard,  and  much  esteemed  by  all  ranks  of  people. 

Maize  is  the  staple  bread-corn,  and  is  cultivated 
in  rows  or  drills.  The  cultivation  of  this  grain 
is  better  managed  than  that  of  the  others,  and  is 
certainly  superior  to  what  might  be  expected  from 
such  rude  farmers,  and  with  such  implements  of 
husbandry  as  they  possess.  The  plow  used  not  only 
in  California,  but  in  all  other  parts  of  America 
inhabited  by  the  Spanish  race,  is  of  great  antiquity, 
and  is  also,  I  believe,  still  used  in  Old  Spain.  It  is 
composed  of  two  principal  pieces.  The  one  which 
we   shall    call    the    main    piece   is   formed    out   of   a 


248  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

crooked  branch  of  timber,  cut  from  the  tree,  of  such 
a  natural  shape  as  to  form  this  main  piece,  which 
constitutes,  of  itself,  the  sole  and  handle  or  stilt.  It 
has  only  one  handle,  and  no  mold-board  or  other 
contrivance  for  turning  over  the  furrow,  and  is  there- 
fore only  capable  of  making  a  simple  rut  equal  on 
both  sides.  A  share  is  fitted  to  the  point  of  the  sole, 
but  without  any  feather,  and  is  the  only  iron  in  the 
whole  construction  of  the  plow.  The  other  piece 
is  the  beam,  which  is  of  great  length,  so  as  to  reach 
the  yoke  of  the  oxen  by  which  the  plow  is  drawn. 
This  beam  is  also  formed  of  a  natural  piece  of  wood, 
cut  from  a  tree,  of  the  necessary  dimensions,  and 
has  no  dressing,  except  the  taking  off  the  bark.  It 
is  inserted  into  the  upper  part  of  the  main  piece, 
and  connected  with  it  by  a  small  upright  piece 
of  wood,  on  which  it  slides,  and  is  fixed  by  two 
wedges.  By  withdrawing  those  wedges  the  beam 
is  elevated  or  lowered,  and  by  this  means  the  plow  is 
regulated  as  to  depth  of  furrow,  or  what  plo-wmen 
call  giving  more  or  less  earth. 


CALIFORNIAN     PLOW 

The  long  beam  passes  between  the  two  oxen  like 
the  pole  of  a  carriage  or  ox-wain,  and  no  chain  is 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  249 

required  for  drawing  the  plow.  A  pin  is  put  through 
the  point  of  the  beam  which  passes  before  the 
yoke,  and  is  fixed  there  by  thongs  of  rawhide. 
The  plowman  goes  at  one  side  of  the  plow,  hold- 
ing the  handle  or  stilt  with  his  right  hand,  and 
managing  the  goad  with  his  left.  There  are  never 
more  than  two  oxen  used  in  these  plows,  and  no 
driver  is  required,  the  plowman  managing  the  plow 
and  directing  the  oxen  himself.  The  manner  of 
yoking  the  oxen  is  not  as  is  done  in  the  north 
of  Europe,  by  putting  the  yoke  on  the  shoulders, 
and  fixing  it  by  a  wooden  collar  or  bow  round  the 
neck.  The  yoke  is  placed  on  the  top  of  the  head, 
close  behind  the  horns,  tied  firmly  to  their  roots 
and  to  the  forehead  by  thongs,  so  that,  instead  of 
drawing  by  the  shoulders,  they  draw  by  the  roots 
of  the  horns  and  forehead.  When  oxen  are  so 
bound  up,  they  have  no  freedom  to  move  their 
heads.  They  go  with  their  noses  turned  up,  and 
seem  to  be  under  great  pain. 

I  know  not  if  this  was  the  custom  of  the  ancients; 
but  I  am  persuaded  that  no  guide  to  the  ancient 
customs  of  Europe  can  be  sought  for,  in  the  present 
day,  so  safely  as  amongst  the  Spaniards,  who  seem 
in  few  respects  to  differ  from  their  ancestors  of  the 
earliest  ages.  On  my  asking  a  native  of  Spain 
what  could  be  the  motive  for  making  an  ox  to 
draw  by  the  head  and  a  horse  by  the  shoulders,  he 


250  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

replied,  that  wise  men  had  found  that  particular 
animals  had  their  strength  lodged  in  particular  parts 
of  their  body,  and  it  was  found  that  the  strength 
of  the  ox  lay  in  its  horns.  I  then  stated  to  him, 
that  almost  all  other  nations  thought  otherwise,  and 
yoke  their  oxen  by  the  shoulders  ;  therefore  the 
question  was,  whether  the  Spaniards  or  the  other 
nations  were  in  the  right.  To  this  he  immediately 
replied  in  a  tone  of  indignation,  "What  !  Can  you 
suppose  that  Spain,  which  has  always  been  known 
as  the  mother  of  the  sciences,  can  be  mistaken  on 
that  point  ? "  Against  this,  of  course,  no  further 
argument  could  be  offered ;  and,  in  the  Americas, 
oxen  will  continue  to  draw  by  the  horns,  perhaps  for 
ages  to  come,  as  taught  by  their  scientific  mother 
of  Spain.  Their  carts  are  drawn  by  oxen  yoked  in 
the  same  manner,  and  in  this  case  they  have  to 
bear  the  weight  of  the  load  on  the  top  of  their 
heads,  which  is  certainly  the  most  disadvantageous 
mechanical  point  of  the  whole  body.  This  renders 
their  sufferings  more  severe  than  in  the  plow, 
and  it  is  truly  distressing  to  see  the  poor  animals 
writhing  under  a  load  which,  on  their  backs  or 
shoulders,  they  could  easily  support.  The  form  of 
the  ox-cart  is  as  rude  as  that  of  the  plow.  It  is 
composed  of  a  bottom  frame  of  a  most  clumsy 
construction,  on  which  is  raised  a  body  of  a  few  bars 
stuck   upright,   of   a  great   height,  and   connected   at 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  251 

the  top  with  other  sHght  bars.  This  cart  is  usually 
without  lining,  but  when  used  for  carrying  maize, 
it  is  lined  with  canes  tied  to  the  upright  bars. 
The  pole  is  of  very  large  dimensions,  and  long 
enough  to  be  fastened  to  the  yoke  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  beam  of  the  plow.  This  also  adds 
greatly  to  the  distress  of  the  poor  oxen,  because, 
the  pole  being  tied  fast  to  the  yoke,  which  rests 
on  their  heads,  they  feel  every  jerk  and  twist  of 
the  cart  in  the  most  sensible  manner;  and  when  the 
road  is  full  of  stones,  sloughs,  and  all  manner  of 
obstructions,  as  it  generally  is  in  America,  it  appears 
as  if  the  animal's  head  would  every  moment  be 
twisted   off  ! 

The  wheels  of  the  Calif ornian  ox- cart,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  other  Spanish  Americas,  are  of  a  most 
singular  construction.  They  have  no  spokes,  and 
are  composed  of  only  three  pieces  of  timber.  The 
middle  piece  is  hewn  out  of  a  huge  tree,  of  a  sufficient 
size  to  form  the  nave  and  middle  of  the  wheel  all 
in  one.  This  middle  piece  is  made  of  a  length 
equal  to  the  diameter  of  the  wheel,  and  rounded 
at  the  two  ends  to  arcs  of  the  circumference.  The 
other  two  pieces  are  made  of  timber  naturally  bent, 
and  joined  to  the  sides  of  the  middle  piece  by  keys 
or  oblong  pieces  of  wood,  grooved  into  the  ends  of 
the  pieces  which  form  the  wheel.  The  whole  is 
then  made  circular,  and  resembles  the  wheels  of  the 


252  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

barrows  used  in  the  north  of  Scotland  for  carrying 
peat  or  turf  out  of  the  mosses  or  bogs.  There 
does  not  enter  into  the  construction  of  this  cart  a 
particle  of  iron,  not  even  a  nail,  for  the  axle  is 
entirely  of  wood,  and  the  linch-pin  of  the  same 
material,  as  well  as  the  pins  that  fix  the  cart  to  the 
axle. 

From  the  construction  of  the  plow,  as  already 
described,  it  will  be  perceived  that,  there  being  no 
mold -board  or  feathered  share,  the  furrow  cannot 
be  cut  up  and  turned  over,  as  with  an  English  plow, 
a  rut  only  being  made  ;  consequently  the  soil 
can  only  be  broken  by  successively  crossing  and 
recrossing  the  field  many  times  ;  and  it  is  evident 
that,  however  often  crossed  by  a  machine  of  this 
kind,  the  root-weeds  of  any  tenacity  can  never  be 
cut,  so  that  this  mode  of  plowing  must  always 
be  very  imperfect ;  and  although  four  or  five  crossings 
are  often  given,  yet  the  soil  is  not  sufficiently  broken 
or  the  weeds  eradicated. 

The  necessity  of  giving  so  many  crossings  is  a 
great  waste  of  labor  ;  and  as  the  plowing  is 
deferred  till  the  commencement  of  the  rains,  and 
very  near  the  time  of  sowing,  an  immense  number 
of  plows  must  be  employed.  It  is  no  uncommon 
thing  to  see,  on  the  large  maize  estates,  in  some 
parts  of  Mexico,  upwards  of  one  hundred  plows 
at    work    together  !      With    these    plows    it    is    not 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  253 

necessary  to  divide  the  field  into  ridges  or  brakes. 
As  they  are  equal  on  both  sides,  they  have  only 
to  begin  at  one  side  of  the  field  and  follow  one 
another  up  and  down,  as  many  as  can  be  employed 
together  without  interfering  in  turning  round  at 
the  end,  which  they  do  in  succession,  like  ships 
tacking  in  a  line  of  battle,  and  so  proceed  down 
the   same   side   as   they   came   up. 

A  harrow  is  totally  unknown  ;  and  where  wheat 
or  barley  is  sown,  a  bush  is  generally  used  to  cover 
in  the  seed,  but  in  some  places,  instead  of  this,  a 
long,  heavy  log  of  wood  is  drawn  over  the  field, 
something  on  the  plan  of  a  roller,  but  dragging, 
without  turning  round,  so  as  to  carry  a  portion  of 
the  soil  over  the  seed. 

In  the  cultivation  of  maize,  when  the  field  is 
sufficiently  plowed  or  crossed,  a  rut  or  furrow  is 
made  by  the  plow,  at  the  distance  intended  for  the 
drills,  which  is  generally  five  or  six  feet.  In  this 
rut  the  seed  is  deposited  by  hand,  the  laborers 
carrying  it  in  small  baskiets,  out  of  which  they  take 
a  handful,  and  drop  from  three  to  five  grains  at  once, 
which  they  slightly  cover  with  their  foot  from  the 
loose  earth  on  the  side  of  the  rut,  and  so  proceed, 
depositing  a  like  number  of  seeds  at  the  distance 
of  about  three  feet.  In  this  state  the  seed  is  left 
to  spring  up  to  a  moderate  height,  and  then  the 
plows    are    again    put    to    turn    a    furrow    on    each 


254  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

side  of  the  rut,  towards  the  young  plants,  thus 
forming  a  drill.  When  the  maize  grows  up  to  a 
considerable  height,  it  is  commonly  cleaned  by  hand, 
by  pulling  up  the  weeds ;  the  middle,  between  the 
drills,  is  again  turned  up  by  the  plow  passing  up 
and  down,  and  the  labor  is  then  finished. 

The  sowing  of  maize,  as  well  as  of  other  grains, 
in  Upper  California,  commences  in  November,  or  as 
near  the  commencement  of  the  rains  as  possible, 
and  the  harvest  is  -in  the  months  of  July  and 
August. 

The  process  of  harvesting  maize  is  as  follows. 
The  laborer  carries  with  him  a  large  and  very  deep 
basket  of  wickerwork,  with  which  he  proceeds 
along  the  drills,  and  fills  it  with  the  heads  of  maize. 
When  full,  he  carries  it  on  his  back  to  the  end  of 
the  field,  where  an  ox- cart  is  stationed,  and  into 
which  he  empties  his  basket.  When  the  cart  is  full, 
it  proceeds  to  the  place  of  deposit.  In  this  way 
the  stalks  are  all  left ;  and  when  all  their  heads  are 
gathered,  the  cattle  are  then  turned  into  the  field, 
and  eat  up  the  leaves,  and  such  parts  of  the  stalks  as 
are  eatable.  These  are  found  to  be  very  nutritious, 
and  the  cattle  get  fat  at  this  season,  more  than  on 
the  best  grass  pastures. 

The  next  operation  is  to  separate  the  maize  from  ^ 
the  head  or  husk.     This  is  done  by  rubbing  the  full 
head    against   a    few    empty    husks    bound    together. 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  255 

and  is  a  very  tedious  operation.  Maize,  in  warm 
countries,  is  very  liable  to  spoil,  and  to  be  infested 
by  an  insect  called,  in  Spanish,  gorgojo ;  and  as  it 
is  found  that  maize  keeps  longer  in  the  husk,  it  is 
sometimes  left  so  till  it  is  required  for  use ;  but 
although  it  may  be  kept  somewhat  longer  in  this 
state  than  when  separated,  yet  it  is  also  soon  subject 
to  the  attack  of  this  insect.  On  the  coast  of  the 
tropical  country  of  Mexico,  it  is  difficult  to  keep 
maize  above  six  or  eight  months,  but  in  California 
it  can  be  kept  for  a  much  longer  time.  Perhaps, 
by  kiln-drying  and  other  methods,  maize  might 
be  preserved,  even  in  tropical  climates,  for  a  great 
length  of  time  ;  but  I  have  seen  no  attempt  at  any 
plan  of  this  kind,  although  it  would  be,  if  successful, 
attended  with  immense  benefit  to  the  growers  of 
this  grain  in  the  populous  parts  of  Mexico,  particu- 
larly on  the  coast,  where  the  prices  vary  so  much 
in  different  years,  and  even  at  different  seasons  of 
the   same   year. 

The  produce  of  maize,  in  proportion  to  the  seed, 
is  perhaps  more  than  that  of  any  other  grain  what- 
ever; but  this,  doubtless,  chiefly  arises  from  its  being 
always  planted  in  drills,  and  I  am  not  certain  if  wheat 
and  other  grains  might  not  give  equal  returns  if 
planted  or  dibbled  in  the  same  way.  The  return  from 
maize  in  good  land  is  often  as  high  as  a  hundred 
and   fifty  fold,  and  even  higher  ;    and  if  it  is  much 


256  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

under  a  hundred,  it  is  thought  to  be  an  inferior  crop. 
The  calculation,  however,  of  the  produce  of  grain  by 
returns  from  the  seed  is  founded  on  an  erroneous 
principle ;  but  in  South  America  it  is  always  so  cal- 
culated, as  they  have  no  fixed  land-measure,  so  that 
it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  what  any  certain  quantity  of 
land  actually  produces.  This  has  led  to  very  mistaken 
notions  respecting  the  fertility  of  those  countries. 
When  I  first  arrived  in  Chile,  I  was  told  that  wheat 
seldom  or  never  yielded  less  than  fifty  returns,  and 
that  it  sometimes  gave  one  hundred  and  fifty, 
but  could  not  reconcile  this  with  the  appearance 
of  the  crops  I  saw  in  the  fields,  which  certainly 
never  surpassed  the  appearance  of  a  good  crop  in 
England.  I  could  only  suppose  that  it  was  to  be 
accounted  for  by  thin  sowing,  which  I  afterwards 
found  to  be  the  fact.  Perhaps,  on  measuring  an 
acre  of  land  in  any  part  of  the  world,  the  produce 
in  any  kind  of  grain  will  not  greatly  exceed  that 
of  the  best  crops  of  wheat  produced  in  the  north  of 
Europe.  I  measured  a  small  piece  of  ground  in 
Mexico,  sown  with  barley,  and  the  seed  used  was 
about  the  third  part  of  what  is  ordinarily  used  in 
England,  but  I  had  not  an  opportunity  of  ascertaining 
its  produce.  It  must  have  produced  three  times 
as  much  from  the  seed  as  the  ordinary  returns  in 
England  to  have  given  an  equal  quantity  per  acre 
as   in   that   country.     One   thing,    however,    may   be 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  257 

allowed,  which  is,  that  grain  raised  by  irrigation  in 
hot  countries  must  produce  more  than  by  any  other 
mode  of  cultivation ;  and  as  much  of  the  wheat 
in  South  America  is  cultivated  in  that  way,  the 
produce,  in  such  circumstances,  may  be  more  than 
in  Europe ;  but  I  have  never  seen,  even  by  irrigation, 
anything  which  could  promise  a  very  superior  return 
per  acre  to  a  heavy  crop  in  England. 

Wheat  is  sown  "in  broadcast,"  on  land  prepared 
as  for  maize.  In  the  south  of  California,  owing  to 
the  length  of  the  dry  season,  it  is  cultivated  by 
irrigation  ;  but  in  the  north,  and  particularly  round 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  as  formerly  stated,  the 
rains  and  dews  are  sufficient,  and  irrigation  is  not 
necessary.  From  the  lands  being  new,  and  natu- 
rally fertile,  the  produce  of  wheat  ought  to  be  very 
great,  and  from  the  excellence  of  the  climate  the 
quality  of  the  grain  should  be  very  fine.  Samples  of 
wheat  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  were  exhibited 
many  years  ago  in  London  as  a  curiosity  for  their 
superior  fineness,  and  sold  at  an  exorbitant  price 
for  seed.  California  corresponds  in  situation  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  if  the  culture  and  quality 
of  the  seed  were  attended  to,  wheat  of  equal 
fineness  must  be  produced.  At  present,  from  the 
unskillfulness  of  the  culture,  and  the  inattention 
to  procure  good  seed,  neither  the  quantity  nor 
quality   is    equal   to   what    they   ought    to    be.      The 

17  S 


258  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

cultivation  of  wheat  is  at  present  but  very  limited, 
although,  from  the  excellence  of  the  soil  and  climate, 
and  the  abundance  of  land  fit  for  the  production  of 
this  grain,  Upper  California  ought  to^be,  and  one 
day  must  be,  the  granary  of  all  South  America. 

Barley  is  cultivated,  but  in  small  quantities,  no  use 
being  made  of  it,  except  to  feed  horses.  They  make 
no  malt  liquor  or  spirits  from  this  grain.  The  kind 
cultivated  both  in  California  and  Mexico  is  what  is 
called  '*bigg"  in  Scotland,  being  the  old  variety  with 
six  rows.  It  produces  a  very  small  grain.  What  will 
my  Northern  friends  think  when  they  are  informed 
that  oats  are  not  known  in  any  part  of  the  Spanish 
Americas  !  They  not  only  do  not  raise  this  species 
of  grain  for  their  own  use,  but  not  even  for  the  use  of 
their  horses.  All  kinds  of  grain  in  California  are 
thrashed  out  at  once,  without  stacking  or  housing 
any  part  of  it  with  the  straw. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  the  mines  and  large  towns 
in  Mexico,  wheat  and  barley  straw  is  used  as  fodder 
for  the  working  horses  and  mules,  and  from  its 
dry  and  brittle  state  in  those  warm  countries, 
it  is,  in  the  act  of  thrashing,  reduced  to  a  state 
which  more  resembles  chaff  than  straw.  It  is,  in 
fact,  like  straw  cut  by  machinery  in  England,  and 
is  carried  to  market  on  mules'  backs,  inclosed  in 
large  net  bags,  one  on  each  side.  Hundreds  of 
mules  are  to  be  seen  daily  entering  Guanajuato,  and 


STATE     OF    AGRICULTURE 


259 


other  large  mining  towns,  with  these  immense  globes 
of  cut  straw  at  their  sides,  more  resembling  balloons 
than  anything  else.  In  California,  however,  as  the 
pastures  are  so  abundant,  and  few  mules  or  horses 
worked,  little  use  is  made  of  the  straw. 

The  following  table  gives  the  whole  produce,  in 
grain,  of  Upper  California,  in  the  year  1831,  calculated 
according  to  the  localities,  and  in  fanegas. 


GRAIN 


Names  of  tht  Jurisdictions,  Missions, 

z 

o 

5  S 

< 

z 

< 

and  Towns 

u 

X 

II 

B 

J     J 

O     A 

■a  < 

> 

•i 
< 

^3 
<    m 

< 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Francisco 

Presidio  of  San  Francisco      .     .     . 

233 

70 

40 

' 

343 

Town  of  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe 

1,657 

1,560 

191 

3,408 

Mission  of  S.  Francisco  Solano 

1,171 

200 

24 

241 

24 

1,660 

Id.       of  S.  Rafael  Arcangel . 

774 

130 

15 

388 

20 

1,327 

Id.       of  S.  Francisco  de  Asis 

670 

15 

9 

340 

58 

1,092 

Id.       of  Sta.  Clara  de  Asis  . 

2,400 

60 

25 

200 

2,685 

Id.       of  S.  Jose 

4,000 
160 

1,000 
300 

123 
10 

1,100 
386 

418 
20 

6,641 

Id.       of  Sta.  Cruz   .... 

876 

Jurisdiction  of  Monterey 

Presidio  o/' Monterey  .    .    .    ,    - 

490 

332 

131 

953 

Village  of  Branciforte  .... 

103 

160 

80 

343 

Mission  of  S.  Juan  Bautista  .     . 

840 

170 

40 

255 

6 

1,311 

Id.       of  S.  Carlos  Borromeo 

200 

215 

62 

477 

Id.       of  Na.  Sa.  de  la  Soledad 

538 

50 

243 

62 

893 

Id.       of  S.  Antonio  de  Padua 

955 

115 

40 

568 

23 

1,701 

Id.       of  S.  Miguel  Arcangel 

599 

36 

9 

57 

33 

734 

Id.       of  S.  Luis  Obispo  de  Tol 

osa 

350 

60 

20 

20 

450 

8  2 


260 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA 


Names  of  the  Jurisdictions,  Missions, 
and  Towns 

< 

U 

s 

7. 

II 

.,-  w 

'S.     CD 

III     " 

t     -^ 

"a  < 

a.    ? 

> 

u 

< 

n 

03     N 

< 

< 

Jurisdiction  of  Santa  Barbara 

Presidio  o/' Santa  Barbara     .     .     . 

300 

90 

390 

Mission  of  La  Purisinia  Concepcion . 

700 

100 

20 

56 

17 

893 

Id.       of  Sta.  Ines 

800 

400 

20 

1,220 

Id.       of  Sta.  Barbara 

730 

90 

50 

336 

30 

1,236 

Id.       of  S.  Buenaventura  .... 

700 

200 

160 

800 

1,860 

Id.       of  S.  Fernando  ReydeEspana 

200 

250 

40 

65 

555 

Town  of  La  Reina  de  los  Angeles    . 

138 

1,758 

179 

2,075 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Diego 

Presidio  o/San  Diego 

140 

125 

5 

270 

Mission  of  S.  Gabriel  Arcangel     .     . 

1,400 

400 

13 

25 

1,838 

Id.       of  S.  Juan  Capistrano  .     .     . 

450 

625 

30 

5 

1,110 

Id.       of  S.  Luis  Rey  de  Francia    . 

1,800 

2,000 

200 

1,200 

15 

5,215 

Id.       of  S.Diego  deAlcala.     .     . 

2,946 

420 

80 

1,200 

4,646 

Total  fanegas 

25,144 

10,926 

1,644 

7,405 

1,083 

46,202 

Taking   the    fanega    at    2^2    English    bushels,    the 
harvest   in    1831    will   be   as   follows:  — 


Quarters 

Wheat 7,8571/2 

Maize 3,414^/2 

Frijoles -514 

Barley 2,314 

Beans,  garbanzos,  and  pease 338 

Total  quarters 14,438 


Now,  reckoning  the  following  as  the  average  price  of 
grain  in  California  at  the  present  time,  viz.,  wheat 
and  barley  2  dollars  the  fanega,  or  jf  1  Ss.  the 
English  quarter,  and  maize  at  Wi  dollars,  ox  £\  per 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  261 

quarter,  the  following  will  be  the  value  of  the  produce, 

in  English  money. 

£     s.   d. 

Wheat 9,822  17  6 

Maize 4,268     0  0 

Barley 2,314     0  0 

Pease  and  beans,  reckoned  as  barley  .      .      .  852     0  0 

Total /17,256  17     6 

The  quantity  of  wheat  produced,  it  will  be  per- 
ceived, is  much  greater  than  any  of  the  other  sorts 
of  grain,  which  is  the  reverse  of  what  takes  place 
in  the  other  Mexican  states,  wheat  bearing  a  small 
proportion  to  maize,  which  latter  is  the  staple  bread- 
corn. 

The  mills  for  grinding  flour  in  Upper  California 
are  but  few,  and  of  the  most  primitive  construction ; 
but  none  better  are  to  be  found  in  the  other  parts 
of  Spanish  America,  not  even  in  Chile,  where  wheat 
abounds.  These  mills  consist  of  an  upright  axle, 
to  the  lower  end  of  which  is  fixed  a  horizontal 
water-wheel  placed  under  the  building,  and  to  the 
upper  end  the  millstone  ;  and  as  there  is  no  inter- 
mediate machinery  to  increase  the  velocity,  it  is 
evident  that  the  millstone  can  make  only  the  same 
number  of  revolutions  as  the  water-wheel.  This 
makes  it  necessary  that  the  wheel  should  be  of 
very  small  diameter,  otherwise  no  power  of  water 
thrown  upon  it  could  make  it  go  at  a  rate  suffi- 
cient to  give  the  millstone  the  requisite  velocity. 
It  is  therefore  made  of  very  small   dimensions,   and 


262  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

constructed  in  the  following  manner.  A  set  of  what 
are  called  cucharas  (spoons)  are  stuck  into  the 
periphery  of  the  wheel,  which  serve  in  place  of 
float- boards.  They  are  made  of  pieces  of  timber, 
in  something  of  the  shape  of  spoons,  the  handles 
being  inserted  into  mortices  on  the  edge  of  the  wheel, 
and  the  bowls  of  the  spoons  made  to  receive  the 
water,  which  spouts  on  them  laterally,  and  forces 
round  the  small  wheel  with  nearly  the  whole  velocity 
of  the  water  which  impinges  upon  it.  I  never 
knew  of  the  existence  of  a  mill  of  this  construction 
till  I  saw  one  in  South  America,  but  I  since  find  that 
Sir  Walter  Scott,  in  his  Pirate,  describes  a  similar 
one  as  having  been  in  use  in  the  Shetland  Islands. 
This  mill  is  erected  at  very  small  expense,  but  it  is 
no  small  boast  for  a  mission  in  California  to  have 
one  of  them,  and  I  believe  there  are  only  three  in 
all  the  country. 

That  most  useful  plant,  the  potato,  thrives  well  in 
California,  but  the  people  in  this,  as  in  every  other 
Spanish  country,  do  not  make  this  root  a  staple 
article  of  subsistence,  nor  is  it  used  as  a  substitute 
for  bread.  When  potatoes  are  brought  to  the  table 
in  Spanish  countries,  they  are  made  up  into  a  dish 
to  be  eaten  alone.  They  are,  however,  now  much 
more  cultivated  than  before  the  introduction  of 
strangers,  who  use  them  as  in  Europe,  and  who 
will,  in  time,  show  the  inhabitants  their  value. 
-    Of   green    vegetables   for  the   table,  the   peasantry, 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  263 

and  all  those  who  live  in  the  country,  make  little 
or  no  use.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  in  all  parts 
of  Spanish  America  no  such  things  are  to  be  seen  in 
the  gardens  of  the  peasants,  nor  even  in  those  of  the 
proprietors  of  estates,  as  cabbages,  or  greens  of  any 
kind.  Only  in  the  vicinity  of  large  towns  are  to 
be  found  cabbage-gardens.  In  California,  it  may  be 
said  that,  before  the  admission  of  foreign  settlers, 
neither  the  potato  nor  green  vegetables  were 
cultivated   as   articles   of   food. 

No  such  thing  as  the  cultivation  of  turnips  in 
the  large  way,  or  for  the  food  of  cattle,  is  at  all 
known.  They  have  a  small  white  kind  for  the  table, 
but  its  flavor  is  insipid,  and,  as  well  as  other  green 
vegetables,  is  but  little  used. 

The  cultivation  of  hemp  was  formerly  carried  on 
to  some  considerable  extent,  and  furnished  a  supply 
of  this  article  to  the  arsenal  of  San  Bias.  Its  produce 
was  abundant,  and  of  very  excellent  quality.  Its 
cultivation,  however,  was  discontinued  soon  after 
the  withdrawing  of  the  Spanish  squadron  from  San 
Bias,  and  has  not  again  been  renewed  ;  but  in 
the  hands  of  industrious  settlers  this  undoubtedly 
would   be   a   source   of   great   profit. 

Flax  has  also  been  tried,  and  proves  congenial  to 
the  soil  and  climate ;  but  from  the  total  want  of 
machinery  for  dressing  it,  and  industry  to  manufac- 
ture it,  nothing  has  been  done,  except  merely  by 
way  of  trial. 


264  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

The  vine  thrives  in  CaHfornia  in  an  extraordinary 
degree.  It  is  cultivated  already  to  a  very  consider- 
able degree,  and  might  be  extended  almost  without 
limits.  Wine  is  now  made,  of  tolerably  good  quality, 
and  some  even  very  excellent.  Nothing  is  wanting 
but  intelligent  persons  to  make  wine  of  superior 
quality,  and  which  would  find  a  ready  market  in 
Mexico  and  the  neighboring  countries,  where  the 
vine  does  not  grow. 

The  quantity  of  wine  and  brandy  consumed  in 
those  countries  is  immense,  all  of  which  could  be 
supplied  from  California  at  a  price  infinitely  less 
than  what  is  now  paid  for  that  brought  from 
Europe.  Raisins,  also,  the  produce  of  the  vine, '  are 
articles  of  considerable  consumption,  so  that  this 
branch  of  industry  would  be  a  source  of  great 
riches  to  an  enterprising  and  industrious  people, 
but  at  present,  instead  of  exporting  either  wine 
or  brandy,  they  have  to  purchase  them  for  their 
own    use. 

The  olive  is  also  produced  in  very  great  perfec- 
tion, and  when  well  prepared,  is  not  inferior  to 
that  of  France,  and  the  oil  would  be  equally  good 
if  expressed  and  preserved  with  care.  These  are 
articles  of  great  consumption  among  a  Spanish 
population,  and  would  be  of  much  importance  as 
exports   to   the   neighboring   republics. 

Pasturage,  however,  is  the  principal  object  pursued 


STATE     OF    AGRICULTURE 


265 


in  California,  as  well  as  in  all  the  Spanish  settle- 
ments of  America.  The  immense  tracts  of  country 
possessed  by  them,  in  proportion  to  the  population, 
added  to  the  indolent  and  unenterprising  habits 
of  this  race  of  men,  render  the  pastoral  state  the 
most  congenial  to  their  situation  and  disposition. 
Few  men  and  little  labor  are  required  to  take 
care  of  herds  of  cattle,  which  naturally  increase 
rapidly  in  the  vast  plains  abounding  with  rich 
pastures,  whereas,  to  raise  grain,  great  labor  and 
a  numerous  population  are  required.  The  pastures 
of  Upper  California  are  most  abundant,  and  the 
domestic   animals   have   increased   amazingly. 

The    following,   table    gives    the    total    number    of 
cattle,   of  all  descriptions,  in  the  year   1831. 

DOMESTIC     CATTLE 


Names  of  the  Jurisdictions,   Missions, 
and  Towns 

H 

n 

P 

a: 

0 
X 

•r. 

a 

■r. 

^. 

'r. 

< 

U 

s 

< 

0 

0 

u 
z 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Francisco 
Presidio  of  San  Francisco      .     .     . 
Town  of  San  Jose  de  Guadalupe  .     . 
Mission  of  S.  Francisco  Solano     .     . 

Id.       of  S.  Rafael  Arcangel .     .     . 

Id.       of  S.  Francisco  de  Asis   .     . 

Id.       of  Sta.  Clara  de  Asis  .     .     . 

Id.       of  S.  Jose 

Id.        of  Sta.  Cruz 

Jurisdiction  of  Monterey 

Presidio  0/ Monterey 

Village  of  Branciforte 

5,610 
4,443 
2,500 
1,200 
4,200 
9,000 
12,000 
3,500 

5,641 
1,000 

470 
2,386 

725 

450 
1,239 

780 
1,300 

940 

3,310 
1,000 

40 

134 

4 

1 

18 

38 

40 

82 

70 
3 

5,000 
2,000 
3,000 
7,000 
13,000 
5,403 

50 
17 

40 

266 


UPPER    CALIFORNIA 


Names  of  the  Jurisdictions,  Missions, 
and  Towns 

IS   u 

'A 

K 
O 
X 

s 
S 

1 

m 
a 

X 

< 
o 
o 

u 
1 

Mission  of  S.  Juan  Bautista  .... 

7,070 

401 

6 

1 

7,017 

17 

Id.       of  S.  Carlos  Borromeo     .     . 

2,050 

470 

8 

4,400 

55 

Id.       of  Na.  Sa.  de  la  Soledad  .     . 

6,599 

1,070 

50 

1 

6,358 

Id.       of  S.  Antonio  de  Padua  .     . 

5,000 

1,060 

80 

2 

10,000 

55 

60 

Id.       of  S.  Miguel  Arcangel     .     . 

3,762 

950 

106 

28 

8,999 

15 

60 

Id.       of  S.  Luis  Obispo  de  Tolosa 

2,000 

800 

200 

50 

1,200 

24 

Jurisdiction  of  Santa  Barbara 

Presidio  of  Sauta  Barbara     .     .     . 

7,900 

1,300 

220 

Mission  of  La  Purisima  Concepcion. 

10,500 

1,000 

160 

4 

7,000 

30 

62 

Id.       of  Sta.  Ines 

7,300 

320 

112 

2,200 

50 

Id.       of  Sta.  Barbara 

2,600 

511 

150 

2 

3,300 

37 

63 

Id.       of  S.  Buenaventura  .... 

4,000 

300 

60 

3,100 

30 

8 

Id.       of  S.  Fernando  Rey  de  Espana 

6,000 

300 

60 

3 

3,000 

Town  of  La  Reina  de  los  Angeles    . 

38,624 

5,208 

520 

Jurisdiction  of  San  Diego 

Presidio  o/San  Diego 

608 

625 

150 

58 

Mission  of  S.  Gabriel  Arcangel     .     . 

20,500 

1,700 

120 

4 

13,554 

76 

98 

Id.       of  S.  Juan  Capistrano  .     .     . 

10,900 

290 

30 

5 

4,800 

50 

40 

Id.       of  S.  Luis  Rey  de  Francia    . 

26,000 

2,100 

250 

5 

25,500 

1,200 

250 

Id.       of  S.  Diego  de  Alcala.     .     . 

6,220 

1,196 

132 

14 

17,624 

325 

Totals 

216,727 

32,201 

2,844 

177 

153,455 

1,873 

839 

[in  the  orieinal  volume,  the  names  of  the  missions,  both  in  the  tables  and  in  the  text,  were  printed  in 
an  abbreviated  style,  and  in  many  instances  without  the  graphic  accent.  In  this  reprint  edition,  the  names 
are  printed  as  fully  as  possible  in  the  tables,  and  the  erapbic  accent  printed  wherever  proper.] 


In  addition  to  the  above,  there  are  a  great  number 
running  wild,  particularly  mares,  which  they  hunt 
and  kill,  in  order  to  prevent  their  eating  up  the 
pasture  from  the  useful  cattle. 

From  this  immense  number  of  domestic  animals 
little  advantage  is  obtained  beyond  the  value  of  the 
hides  and  fat.  The  management  of  the  dairy  is 
totally  unknown.  There  is  hardly  any  such  thing 
in  use  as  butter  or  cheese,  and  what   little  is  made 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  267 

is  of  the  very  worst  description.  It  will,  no  doubt, 
appear  strange  when  I  assert  that  the  art  of  making 
butter  and  cheese  is  unknown  in  all  the  Americas 
inhabited  by  the  Spaniards  and  their  descendants ; 
yet,  as  far  as  my  own  experience  goes,  as  well  as 
my  information,  this  is  in  reality  the  case  ;  for 
although  something  under  the  name  of  butter  and 
cheese  is  generally  to  be  found,  yet  they  are  made 
in  a  way  entirely  different  from  that  practiced  in 
the  north  of  Europe,  and  certainly  have  but  little 
resemblance  to  those  so  much  esteemed  aliments  as 
there  prepared.  Both  the  butter  and  cheese,  particu- 
larly the  former,  are  execrable  compounds  of  sour 
coagulated  milk  and  its  cream  mixed  together, 
the  butter  being  made  of  the  cream,  or  top  of  the 
milk,  mixed  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  sour 
coagulated  part,  and  beat  up  together  by  the  hand, 
and  without  a  churn,  till  something  of  the  consis- 
tency of  butter  is  produced.  It  is  of  a  dirty  gray 
color,  and  of  a  very  disagreeable  flavor,  which  in 
a  short  time  is  rendered  still  worse  by  its  tendency 
to  get  rancid,  in  which  state  it  is  almost  always 
found  before  it  arrives  at  the  place  of  sale,  and  is, 
of  course,  intolerable  to  palates  used  to  that  of  a 
better  sort.  The  cheese  is  made  of  the  remainder 
of  the  sour  milk,  or  sometimes  of  the  whole  milk  and 
cream.  In  either  case,  it  is  made  up  in  small  molds 
containing   about    half   a   pound,    and    undergoes   no 


268  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

pressure,  except  by  the  hand.  It  is  ahvays  mixed 
with  a  large  proportion  of  salt,  and  is  of  a  soft, 
crumbling   consistency. 

There  is  another  sort  of  cheese,  or  something 
resembling  it,  made  of  sweet  milk  coagulated  with 
rennet.  It  is  made  in  thin  cakes,  which  they  form 
by  pressing  the  curds  between  the  hands  till  they 
are  freed  of  the  whey,  and  then  left  to  dry.  This 
is  called  panela,  and  is  much  better  than  the  sour 
composition.  It  is  used  as  a  luxury,  and  sent  about 
as  presents. 

In  some  parts  of  Lower  California,  situated  on 
the  gulf,  and  in  the  northern  parts  of  Sonora  and 
New  Mexico,  real  cheese  is  made,  and  some  of  it 
of  very  good  quality.  This,  however,  is  only  an 
exception  to  the  general  observation,  and  proves 
that  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  good  cheese  from 
being  made  in  those  countries.  How  this  art  has 
been  introduced  into  such  remote  corners  of  the 
Spanish  possessions  as  Lower  California  and  New 
Spain,  whilst  unknown  in  the  others,  I  am  unable 
to  ascertain.* 

It  is  truly  incredible  that  from  such  an  immense 
number  of  cows  as  is  contained  in  Upper  California 

*  Good  butter  has  also  been  made,  and  continues  to  be  so,  though 
in  small  quantities,  (and  I  believe  confined  to  one  dairy,)  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  city  of  Mexico.  This  practice  was  introduced  by  a 
stranger,  since  the  revolution  ;  but  I  imderstand  the  consumption  is 
chiefly     confined     to     foreigners,     and     the     price     very     high. 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  269 

no  attempt  should  be  made  to  reap  advantage  from 
their  milk.  The  produce  of  the  dairy  has  always 
been  an  object  of  consideration  and  profit  in  all 
ages  and  in  all  countries.  It  seems,  however,  that 
even  in  Old  Spain,  at  the  present  day,  this  branch  of 
husbandry  is  much  neglected,  and  it  is  well  known 
that  Cadiz  and  other  maritime  towns  have  always 
been  supplied  with  butter  and  cheese  from  Holland 
and  Ireland.  A  Mexican  gentleman,  who  was  lately 
at  Madrid,  informs  me  that  no  butter  is  used  in  that 
city,  except  as  a  rarity,  and  that  if  it  be  wanted,  it 
must  be  ordered  beforehand,  and  paid  for  at  a  high 
rate. 

It  is  doubted  whether  the  ancients  knew  the  art 
of  making  butter  and  cheese,  such  as  are  used 
in  our  time.  Articles  of  food  under  these  names 
were  known,  but  authors  doubt  if  they  were  at 
all  of  the  same  character  as  our  modern  aliments 
of  the  same  name.  I  am  strongly  inclined  to 
favor  those  who  argue  against  true  butter  and  cheese 
being  known  in  antiquity,  and  this  solely  from 
the  example  of  the  Spaniards  ;  for,  as  I  have  before 
said,  they  must  be  taken  as  great  authorities  in 
whatever  relates  to  ancient  customs.  They  have 
preserved  them,  not  in  books,  but  in  practice,  in 
much  greater  purity  than  any  other  of  the  Euro- 
pean nations.  The  Hebrew  word  which  is  taken  to 
mean  butter,  I  find,  is  interpreted  by  some  to  signify 


270  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

sour  thick  milk.  This  is  exactly  the  Spanish  butter. 
Sour  thick  milk,  covered  by  its  own  cream,  is  what 
they  make  their  butter  of,  and  sour  thick  milk,  with 
or  without  the  cream,  constitutes  the  material  for 
their  cheese.  The  Greek  word,  I  am  told,  is  said 
to  mean  a  mixture  of  butter  and  cheese,  and  the 
Spanish  butter  is  a  mixture  of  butter  and  cheese, 
and  their  cheese  a  mixture  of  cheese  and  butter. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  a  prejudice  undoubtedly  exists 
amongst  the  natives  of  Spain,  and  their  American 
progeny,  against  the  aliment  of  the  dairy.  Butter 
is  never  used  in  cooking  or  in  sauces,  and  the 
physicians  strictly  prohibit,  in  all  cases  of  illness,  not 
only  butter  and  cheese,  but  every  sort  of  milk  diet, 
and  it  is  never  recommended,  and  often  prohibited, 
even  in  health. 

It  is,  at  all  events,  certain  that  the  dairy,  in  Upper 
California,  is  entirely  neglected,  and,  in  consequence, 
a  source  of  great  agricultural  riches  lost. 

The  supercargo  of  a  British  ship  from  India, 
bound  for  the  coast  of  Mexico,  informed  me  that, 
on  making  the  coast  of  California,  they  touched  at 
the  Russian  settlement  called  La  Bodega,  and  which 
borders  on  the  Spanish  territory,  or  rather  of  right 
belongs  to  it,  and  although  the  part  which  the 
Russians  possess  is  sterile  in  comparison  to  the  fine 
plains  occupied  by  the  Spaniards,  yet  they  found, 
immediately  on  their  arrival,  a  present,  sent  on  board 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  271 

by  the  Russian  governor,  of  most  excellent  butter, 
cheese,  fat  mutton,  and  good  vegetables, — all  things 
most  desirable  to  people  arriving  from  a  long  voyage. 
They  soon  after  proceeded  to  Monterey,  the  capital 
of  Spanish  California,  where  they  could  find  nothing 
but  bull-beef  !  Neither  bread,  butter,  cheese,  nor 
vegetables  were  to  be  procured.  This  was  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1822,  and  immediately  before 
the  revolution ;  and  I  am  assured  by  a  Mexican 
officer,  lately  arrived  from  Monterey,  that  the 
strangers,  who  comprise  a  considerable  proportion 
of  the  inhabitants  of  that  town,  are  at  this  time 
(1834)  actually  furnished  with  butter  and  cheese 
from   the    Russian   settlement   of   La   Bodega. 

The  Spanish  mode  of  managing  cattle  is,  in 
many  other  respects,  peculiarly  their  own.  They 
leave  their  oxen  uncastrated  till  they  are  three  or 
four  years  old.  The  operation  of  castration  they 
have  no  idea  of  performing  on  calves,  so  that  in 
a  large  herd  of  cattle  we  find  a  great  proportion 
of  them  are  bulls,  roaring,  and  goading  each  other 
at  a  fearful  rate.  The  greater  part  of  the  beef 
consumed  in  the  city  of  Mexico  is  of  bulls.  It  is  no 
uncommon  thing  to  see  a  drove  of  them,  without 
the  admixture  of  a  single  ox,  wending  their  way  to 
the  shambles  of  Mexico,  from  the  very  remote  parts 
of  the  republic.  Some  estates  on  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific  were  formerly  accustomed  to  send  a  thousand 


272  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

bulls  at  a  time  to  the  city  of  Mexico.  This  custom 
exists  to  the  present  time,  but  the  haciendas ^  or 
estates,  having  been  much  ruined  by  the  revolu- 
lutionary  wars,  the  numbers  are  not  now  so  great  as 
formerly,  but  considerable  droves,  at  certain  seasons 
of  the  year,  still  pass  on  as  heretofore.  I  never 
could  find  any  reasonable  motive  alleged  for  this 
custom.  The  true  one,  doubtless,  is  their  having 
inherited  it  from  their  forefathers  ;  and  I  have  no 
doubt  it  has  descended  to  them  uninterruptedly 
from  the  ancient  Lusitanians.  This  custom  is  strictly 
preserved  in  California,  and  thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  of  bulls  now  roar,  in  all  their  native  virtue 
and  vigor,  on  its  wide-extended  plains. 

Owing  to  this  practice,  and  from  the  circumstance 
of  the  cattle  being  seldom  folded,  they  are  very  shy, 
and  in  a  half -wild  state,  for  which  reason  it  is 
necessary,  in  catching  them,  to  use  the  lasso.  This 
has  been  so  often  described  that  it  is  perhaps 
unnecessary  to  do  so  here  ;  yet  it  is  so  wonderfully 
managed  by  the  South  Americans  that  it  can  never 
be  seen  practiced  without  admiration,  and,  like  a 
horse-race  or  fox-chase,  attracts  every  one  within  its 
reach  to  witness  it.  For  although  it  is,  in  general, 
a  useful  and  necessary  occupation  to  secure  the 
cattle  in  this  way,  yet  it  is,  by  the  lookers-on, 
and  even  by  those  engaged  in  it,  considered  as 
an   amusement,  and   to  which   they  are   passionately 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  273 

attached.  There  is,  in  all  the  cattle-estates  in  Spanish 
America,  a  time  set  apart,  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  the  cattle,  in 
order  to  overlook  and  count  them,  and  to  brand 
the  young  ones  with  the  mark  of  the  estate,  and 
perform  certain  other  operations,  as  well  as  to 
accustom  them  to  take  the  fold,  and  prevent  them 
from  running  wild.  This  is  called  a  rodeo^  and  is  a 
holiday-time  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  estate  and 
its  vicinity.  Numbers  come  from  great  distances  to 
assist  gratuitously  at  the  fete.  On  this  occasion  the 
cattle  are  driven  into  a  large  ring-fold,  at  a  wide 
opening  on  one  side.  This  is  afterwards  all  closed  up, 
except  a  small  door,  left  for  the  cattle  to  be  forced 
out  at.  Those  that  are  to  be  operated  upon  are 
made  to  escape  at  this  door  singly;  and  when  a  bull 
finds  himself  in  the  open  field,  he  makes  off  with 
the  utmost  speed,  pursued  by  a  space  of  horsemen 
swinging  their  lassos  in  the  air ;  and  while  in  full 
chase,  and  when  they  get  within  point-blank,  those 
foremost  throw  their  lassos,  some  round  the  horns, 
others  round  the  neck ;  some  entrap  a  hind  leg, 
others  a  fore  one  ;  they  then  stop  short  their  well- 
trained  horses,  and  the  bull  falls  as  if  shot,  tumbling 
heels  over  head.  In  a  moment  he  is  secured  by 
tying  the  lassos  round  his  legs,  and  by  some  of  the 
people  lying  down  on  his  head.  In  this  state  the 
wildest    bull     lies    perfectly    motionless,    and    suffers 

18  T 


274  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

whatever    operation     has    to    be    performed,    almost 
without  making  an  effort  at  resistance. 

Although  I  have  so  often  seen  the  feat  of  the  lasso, 
I  never  was  tired  of  looking  on  and  wondering  at 
the  dexterity  with  which  it  is  performed ;  nor  could  I 
ever  comprehend  exactly  by  what  art  a  man  at  full 
gallop  could  throw  a  noose  so  as  to  catch  a  bull  by 
the  hind  leg  while  he  was  flying  from  his  pursuers 
at  all  his  speed.  The  noose  must  necessarily  go 
under  the  foot,  be  drawn  up,  and  run  tight  on  the 
leg,  which  appears  to  be  a  sleight  of  hand  almost 
impossible.  Early  and  constant  practice  can  only 
enable  one  to  acquire  such  dexterity,  and  indeed 
the  practice  of  the  lassoers  begins  from  their  earliest 
infancy.  The  first  thing  you  see  in  a  little  urchin's 
hand  is  a  lasso  of  thread  or  twine,  with  which  he 
essays  to  ensnare  his  mother's  kittens  and  chickens, 
and  perhaps  from  those  elemental  essays  the  theory 
of  the  lasso  can  only  be  comprehended,  for  the 
rapidity  and  magical-like  effect  with  which  the  real 
lasso  is  thrown  leaves  no  time  or  opportunity  to  see 
how  it  acts.  It  appears  that,  to  secure  the  hind  leg, 
the  large  noose  of  the  lasso  —  which,  by  swinging  it 
round  the  head,  is  formed  into  a  circle  —  is  thrown 
so  as  to  pass  under  the  leg  at  the  very  moment 
when  this  is  elevated  in  making  the  spring,  while 
the  bull  is  galloping,  and  placed  exactly  where  the 
leg  must  fall  on  coming  to  the  ground.     When  the 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  275 

lasso  is  thus  thrown,  and  the  leg  placed  within  the 
circle  of  its  noose,  the  thrower  instantly  checks 
his  horse,  and  gives  his  lasso  a  jerk  in  the  very 
instant  of  time  when  the  bull's  foot  touches  the 
ground,  and  thus  draws  the  noose  up  and  tight 
round  the  leg.  All  this  must  be  done  in  a  moment 
of  time  ;  and  although  it  appears  almost  impracti- 
cable, yet  I  think  this  is  the  mode  of  operating. 
To  catch  the  animal  by  the  horns  or  neck  is  easily 
understood,  and  does  not  require  so  much  skill ; 
yet  even  to  do  this  with  certainty  to  a  bull  at  full 
speed,  and  on  a  horse  in  chase,  requires  much 
practice  and  dexterity.  The  saddles  used  are  well 
fitted  to  the  exercise.  They  rise  high  before  and 
behind,  and  have  a  knob  on  the  fore  part,  on  which 
the  riders  can  lay  hold  to  secure  themselves,  and  on 
which  they  can  make  fast  or  wind  up  the  lasso,  the 
end  of  which,  however,  is  not  tied  to  this  knob,  but 
to  a  ring  in  the  girth  of  the  saddle.  The  horses  are 
so  taught  as  to  lean  over,  when  checked,  against 
the  direction  in  which  the  bull  draws,  and  thereby 
secure  themselves  from  falling  down  under  the  sud- 
den tug  occasioned  by  the  impetus  of  the  animal 
when  it  is  brought  up  by  the  lasso.  This,  as  well  as 
the  whole  proceeding,  is  admirably  shown  in  Captain 
Smyth's  drawing,  from  which  the  plate  is  taken.  The 
bridle  used  is  equally  well  adapted  to  the  purpose, 
being  most  powerful  in  its  structure,  and  calculated 

T2 


276  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

for  suddenly  checking  a  horse.  It  is  a  single  curb, 
of  a  peculiar  construction,  having  the  bit  doubled 
up  high  in  the  mouth,  without  a  joint,  and  instead  of 
a  curb-chain  it  has  a  solid  ring  of  iron,  which  passes 
through  the  upper  part  of  the  doubled-up  bit  within 
the  mouth,  and  then  passes  behind  the  lower  jaw, 
thus  forming  a  most  tremendous  lever,  sufficient  to 
break  the  horse's  jaw  if  powerfully  applied.  The  use 
of  this  makes  the  horse's  mouth  so  sensible,  and  gives 
the  rider  such  complete  power  over  him,  that  he 
is  checked  at  full  speed  in  the  most  instantaneous 
manner.  It  is  a  common  practice,  in  some  parts  of 
Spanish  America,  for  the  people,  in  exercising  their 
horses,  to  ride  up  full  speed  at  a  wall,  and  when 
the  horse's  head  is  within  a  few  inches  of  it,  to 
check  them  all  at  once.  This  masterly  mode  of 
management  of  their  horses  can  alone  enable  them 
to  use  the  lasso  with  such  dexterity  as  they  do. 

I  have  before  said  that  little  milk  is  used  by  the 
Spanish  race  in  America,  and  when  they  do  use  it, 
they  have  a  very  awkward  way  of  taking  it  from 
the  cow.  They  think  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
use  the  calf  to  induce  the  cow  to  give  her  milk. 
For  this  reason  they  first  let  the  calf  suck  for  some 
time  alone,  and  then  lay  hold  of  one  of  the 
teats  while  the  calf  is  still  sucking  the  others,  and 
so  by  a  kind  of  stealth  procure  a  portion  only  of 
the   milk.      They   have   no   idea   that   a   cow   would 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  277 

give  milk  at  all  if  the  calf  was  altogether  taken  away 
from  her ;  so  that  when  cows  are  kept  for  their 
milk,  the  calves  must  be  kept  along  with  them, 
and  as  they  get  the  best  share,  a  great  number 
of  cows  and  calves  must  be  kept  to  produce  a  small 
quantity  of  milk. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  table  given  at  page  266, 
that  the  number  of  sheep  in  all  Upper  California 
is  only  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  thousand  odd, 
which  might  be  increased  almost  without  limits ; 
but  as  their  wool  is  of  a  quality  unfit  for  exporta- 
tion, and  mutton  little  used  for  food,  there  is  no 
encouragement  at  present  for  any  attention  being 
paid  to  their  propagation.  The  sheep  in  California, 
as  well  as  in  all  the  other  parts  of  Spanish  America, 
are  of  a  bad  breed,  and  their  wool  of  the  very 
coarsest  quality.  The  whole  seem  to  be  exactly  of 
the  same  kind.  It  is  strange  that,  while  in  Spain  the 
finest-wooled  sheep  in  the  world  —  the  merinos  — 
have  so  long  existed,  an  inferior  breed,  producing 
the  coarsest  wool,  should  have  been  carried  to  their 
colonies.  Perhaps  the  propagation  of  the  merinos, 
like  the  grape,  was  discouraged  or  prohibited  in  the 
Americas,  in  order,  as  was  the  policy  of  the  mother 
country,  to  give  the  monopoly  to  the  flocks  of  Estre- 
madura,  as  well  as  to  the  vineyards  of  Catalonia.  It 
is  extraordinary,  however,  that  some  one  should  not 
have   introduced   into   any  of   those  vast   countries   a 


278  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

better  breed,  even  in  the  time  of  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment, and  still  more  extraordinary  that,  since  the 
revolutions,  which  have  removed  all  obstacles,  no 
amelioration  of  this  breed  has  taken  place.  There 
are  large  flocks  of  sheep  in  Chile ;  immense  num- 
bers on  the  table-lands  of  Mexico,  which  abundantly 
supply  the  capital  with  mutton ;  and  myriads  scat- 
tered over  the  middle  or  southern  republics,  —  all 
of  which,  as  well  as  those  of  California,  are  of  the 
same  breed,  and  their  wool  invariably  exceedingly 
coarse.  It  might  be  thought  that  in  the  tropical 
climates  the  temperature  and  other  circumstances 
may  have  changed  the  quality  of  the  fleeces;  but  in 
Upper  California  the  latitude  nearly  corresponds  with 
that  of  Estremadura,  and  in  some  parts  exactly  so; 
yet  the  quality  of  the  wool  is  equally  bad  there, 
as  in  the  equatorial  latitudes  of  Peru  and  Colombia. 
The  British  settlements  of  New  Holland  and  Van 
Diemen's  Land  correspond  with  the  latitudes  of 
Chile  and  California,  and  we  see  what  a  fine 
quality  of  wool  is  produced  there,  equaling  that 
of  Spain,  and  already  forming  an  important  article  of 
exportation  from  those  colonies. . 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  country  more 
adapted  to  the  breeding  of  sheep  than  Upper 
California  ;  and  if  a  good  kind  were  introduced 
by  intelligent  breeders,  the  benefit  would  be  incal- 
culable.    The  same  plan  is  followed  with  the  sheep 


STATE    OF    AGRICULTURE  279 

as  with  the  black  cattle,  in  respect  to  castration ; 
and  the  flocks  consist  only  of  rams  and  ewes,  with- 
out any  wethers,  which  are  the  most  valuable  stock. 
The  mutton,  like  the  beef,  is  therefore  bad.  Droves 
of  rams,  as  well  as  bulls,  are  seen  daily  entering  the 
city  of  Mexico,  and  other  places  of  consumption  all 
over  the  Spanish  Americas. 

Swine  do  not  seem  to  be  very  much  attended  to 
in  California,  but  in  other  parts  of  Mexico  they 
are  bred  in  great  numbers.  They  are  reared  and 
fed  chiefly  for  their  lard,  and  are  of  a  very  good 
kind,  derived  from  the  Chinese  breed.  They  are 
fed  in  a  manner  so  as  to  produce  as  much  fat  and 
as  little  flesh  as  possible.  They  are  allowed  to 
grow  to  a  certain  age  in  a  lean  state,  subsisting 
chiefly  on  such  roots  and  herbs  as  they  can  procure 
at  large  in  the  woods  and  fields,  and  when  they 
arrive  at  the  proper  age  and  size  for  killing,  they 
are  then  shut  up,  or  at  least  kept  at  home,  and  as 
much  maize  given  them  as  they  can  eat,  this  being 
administered  to  them  in  moderate  quantities  at  a 
time,  so  as  not  to  surfeit  them.  By  this  means  they 
soon  get  enormously  fat,  and  when  slaughtered  they 
are  found  to  be  almost  all  lard  to  the  very  bones. 
This  lard  they  peel  off  as  blubber  is  peeled  off  from 
a  whale,  the  whole  being  entirely  separated  from 
every  part  of  the  flesh  and  entrails,  leaving  an  aston- 
ishingly small   proportion  of  flesh.      They  are   often 


280  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

so  highly  fed  as  to  be  unable  to  move.  I  have 
seen  some  unable  to  get  farther  up  than  on  their 
haunches,  just  far  enough  to  reach  their  food,  and 
when  satiated,  tumble  down  again  and  grunt  them- 
selves to  sleep.  In  the  sale  and  purchase  of  these 
animals,  their  weight  of  flesh  is  never  taken  into 
account.  The  calculation  is,  how  many  pounds  of 
lard  they  will  produce.  Lard,  with  all  ranks,  is  a 
necessary  of  life.  Perhaps  in  the  whole  range  of  their 
cookery — which  is  sufficiently  ample — no  dish  is  done 
without  hog's  lard.  From  the  sopa  to  the  frijoles, 
all  have  a  large  proportion  of  it  in  their  composition. 
Even  their  bread,  to  eat  with  the  indispensable 
chocolate,  has  its  proportion  of  lard.  And  although 
they  delight  in  seeing  every  dish  swimming  in  this, 
their  favorite  fat,  yet  butter  in  any  dish,  or  used  in 
any  way  as  sauce,  is  abhorred  as  much  by  a  Spanish- 
American  as  by  an  Englishman  is  the  train-oil  of  a 
Russian  boor. 

The  following  may  be  taken  as  about  the  average 
price  of  cattle  in  Upper  California  at  the  present 
time. 

Fat  ox  .  .  .  .  5  dollars  =  ;^1  0  0  Mare  ....  5  dollars  =  ^1  »  § 
Cow  ....  5  dollars  =  1  0  0  Sheep  ....  2  dollars  =  0  8  • 
Horse  (saddle)    .   10  dollars  ==    2  0  0         Mule     ....   10  dollars  ==    2  0  • 


CHAPTER    VII 

COMMERCE     OF    UPPER     CALIFORNIA.  —  NAVIGATION 
—  REVENUES 

In  the  time  of  the  Spanish  government,  CaUfornia 
had  no  foreign  commerce  ;  and  as  its  almost  insular 
situation  cut  it  off  from  any  frequent  intercourse 
with  Mexico  by  land,  it  was  considered  more  in 
the  light  of  a  colony  of  that  country  than  as  an 
integral  part.  There  was  little  or  no  commerce 
or  communication  carried  on  between  them,  except 
by  the  transmission  from  San  Bias  of  the  annual 
supplies  to  the  missions.  The  greatest  impulse  which 
the  intercourse  between  Mexico  and  California  ever 
had  was  about  the  years  1792  and  1793,  when  a 
Spanish  squadron  was  stationed  at  San  Bias  for  the 
purpose  of  settling  the  dispute  with  England  about 
Nootka  Sound.  This  squadron,  on  their  passage 
between  San  Bias  and  Nootka,  called  at  Monterey 
and  other  places  in  Upper  California  to  take  in 
provisions,  wood,  and  water ;  but  on  the  retiring  of 
the  squadron  the  intercourse  reverted  to  its  former 
state,  and  continued  so  till  the  breaking  out  of  the 

281 


282  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

revolution  in  1821.  Soon  after  this  event,  the  foreign 
merchants  established  in  Chile  and  Peru,  as  well  as 
those  in  Mexico,  directed  their  attention  to  California 
as  a  place  where  some  commerce  might  be  carried 
on,  particularly  in  hides  and  tallow.  With  this 
view,  an  English  mercantile  house  in  Lima  formed 
an  establishment  at  Monterey,  and  several  vessels 
soon  after  went  for  the  purpose  of  trading.  The 
North-American  traders,  who  are  always  the  first  to 
take  advantage  of  new  and  remote  markets,  also 
turned  their  attention  to  California,  and  several  vessels 
of  that  nation  soon  resorted  there  from  the  ports 
of  South  America,  as  well  as  from  China  and  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  By  this  means  some  impulse  was 
given  to  this  trade,  and  which  was  expected  to 
increase,  but  as  the  articles  have  been  chiefly  confined 
to  hides  and  tallow,  and  the  consumption  of  goods 
small,  it  has  not  risen  to  much  importance. 

The  amount  of  the  annual  exports,  in  the  first 
few  years  after  the  opening  of  the  ports  to  foreign 
vessels,  was  estimated  to  be  about  thirty  thousand 
hides,  and  about  seven  thousand  quintals  of  tallow, 
with  a  few  small  cargoes  of  wheat  which  the  Russians 
required  for  their  settlements  on  the  northwest 
coast  of  America.  This,  with  trifling  quantities  of 
wine,  raisins,  and  olives,  carried  to  San  Bias,  consti- 
^  tuted  the  whole  of  the  exports.  Those  exports  were 
paid    for   in    barter,    chiefly   in    coarse    manufactured 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  283 

cottons,  together  with  a  few  other  articles  of  small 
value,  necessary  to  a  community  who  had  but  few 
artisans,  but  whose  wants  were  very  limited.  Taking 
the  value  of  the  hides  at  two  dollars  each,  and  the 
tallow  at  eight  dollars  per  quintal,  and  reckoning 
the  value  of  the  wheat  and  other  articles  at  fourteen 
thousand  dollars,  the  whole  amount  of  exports  would 
have  been  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars, 
or  about  twenty- six  thousand  pounds  sterling. 
Since  this  period,  however,  the  trade  has  increased 
considerably,  particularly  in  the  last  year,  — 1834, — 
owing,  it  is  said,  to  the  missionary  friars,  in  antici- 
pation of  being  displaced,  having  slaughtered  a 
very  large  number  of  cattle,  —  some  say  to  the 
amount  of  one  hundred  thousand.  Even  if  this 
be  true,  the  number  of  black  cattle  stated  in  the 
table  for  1831  need  not  be  lessened.  It  is  said 
that  the  missionaries  who  published  those  tables 
always  gave  an  account  of  fewer  cattle  than  they 
actually  possessed,  so  that  I  presume  the  amount 
stated  in  the  table  is  not  more  than  what  actually 
exists  at  the  present  time,  but  is  more  likely  to  be 
under  the  real  number. 

There  has  been  considerable  intercourse  of  late 
between  California  and  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to  which 
live  cattle  have  been  carried.  This  trade,  which  is 
almost  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Americans, 
is    not   yet   of    much    importance,    but    will    increase 


284  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

as  the  two  countries  proceed  in  civilization.  There 
has  also  been  lately  some  demand  for  wheat  and 
provisions  for  the  establishment  of  the  English 
Hudson's   Bay  Company  on   the   river   Columbia. 

The  trade  in  furs,  particularly  that  of  the  sea-otter, 
formerly  so  considerable,  and  once  so  promising, 
has  dwindled  into  insignificance.  This  is  so  much 
the  case,  that  otter- skins  are  now  occasionally 
imported  from  the  Russian  settlements  to  the  north, 
and  at  an  extravagant  price,  although  the  animal, 
as  we  have  seen,  is  so  abundant  in  their  own  waters. 
When  Lape  rouse  visited  California  in  1786,  he 
found  at  Monterey  a  Spanish  commissary  appointed 
by  government  to  collect  all  the  skins  of  the  other 
missions,  as  a  perquisite  to  the  government.  They 
amounted  then  to  20,000,  and  might  have  been 
increased  to  30,000.  Laperouse  himself  says,  in 
his  official  letter  to  the  Minister  of  Marine,  that 
50,000  could  easily  be  procured  annually.  When 
it  is  considered  how  great  the  demand  for  this 
article  is  in  China,  and  that  this  demand  is  not 
always  satisfied  but  at  an  extravagant  price,  the  great 
potential,  if  not  the  actual,  value  of  this  article  of 
commerce  to  California  will  be  admitted. 

The  imports  are  such  as  will  be  easily  understood 
from  the  account  which  we  have  given  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  of  their  habits  and  wants.  They 
consist  of  cloth,  wearing-apparel,  articles  of  furniture. 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  285 

agricultural  implements,  deals,  salt,  silks,  candles,  fire- 
works, &c. 

The  internal  commerce  of  California  is  of  very 
little  consequence.  There  are,  as  we  have  seen,  no 
large  towns,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
have  not  advanced  to  a  state  which  requires  the 
division  of  labor,  which  is  the  basis  of  internal 
commerce.  Where  all  are  cultivators  of  the  soil, 
and  at  the  same  time  artificers  and  manufacturers, 
each  for  his  own  necessities,  there  can  be  few 
interchanges.  Before  the  revolution,  a  circulating 
medium  —  that  great  engine  of  commerce  —  was 
scarcely  known,  and  little  esteemed ;  for  when  noth- 
ing was  to  be  bought,  money  was  of  no  value ; 
and  when  the  strangers  arrived  first  on  the  coast, 
they  found  no  coin,  barter  being  the  only  thing 
understood.  This,  however,  was  advantageous  for 
the  first  adventurers,  who  sold  their  goods  at  the 
exorbitant  prices  which  were  established  by  the 
Spanish  merchants  for  articles  which  had  formerly 
to  be  conducted  from  Vera  Cruz  or  Panama,  passing 
through  many  hands  before  they  got  to  California, 
and  surcharged  with  duties  and  old-fashioned  profits 
without  number.  Yet  goods  at  those  enormous 
prices  were  more  acceptable  to  the  missionaries 
than  money,  they  having  their  numerous  Indians  to 
clothe,  and  a  superabundance  of  cattle  to  slaughter. 
This  state  of  things,  however,  has  now  considerably 


286  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

altered.  The  success  of  the  first  adventurers  drew 
others  after  them,  and  the  missionaries,  having 
been  well  supplied  with  goods,  and  finding  the 
avidity  with  which  the  traders  demanded  their  hides 
and  tallow,  began  to  know  better  the  relative  value 
of  the  articles  dealt  in,  and  more  equitable  prices 
were  fixed.  There  is  yet  very  little  currency  in 
California ;  and  as  the  small  population  and  little 
industry  of  the  inhabitants  do  not  give  room  for 
much  consumption,  the  advancement  of  commerce 
has  not  been  rapid,  and  it  is  but  yet  of  very  little 
consideration. 

The  whole  coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  from 
Valdivia  in  latitude  40°  south  to  the  extremity  of 
California  in  42°  north,  was  in  the  exclusive  pos- 
session of  the  Spanish  nation  for  three  centuries. 
This  line  of  coast  bounded  countries  the  most 
fertile  in  every  production  the  earth  affords.  The 
abundance  of  the  precious  metals  was  infinitely 
superior  to  that  contained  in  all  the  world  besides. 
In  this  immense  space  is  to  be  found  all  the  varieties 
of  climate,  and  consequently  all  the  exchangeable 
commodities  which  stimulate  commerce.  All  this 
gave  an  inexhaustible  field  for  traffic,  which  ought 
to  have  exalted  that  part  of  the  world  above  all 
others  in  the  scale  of  commercial  opulence.  The 
British  possessions  either  in  the  East  or  West 
Indies   cannot   be   compared,   in  extent  or  variety  of 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  287 

productions,  to  the  immense  continuous  territories  of 
the  Spaniards  in  America ;  nor  can  the  navigation 
of  the  seas  which  surround  or  border  on  the  British 
colonies  —  which  have  their  hurricanes,  their  shoals 
and  currents — be  compared  to  the  mild  Pacific  coast 
of  America,  which  is  entirely  free  of  all  sort  of  dangers. 
No  hurricane,  shoal,  or  dangerous  current,  is  to  be 
found  in  all  the  extensive  coast,  from  the  southern 
to  the  northern  boundary,  of  the  Spanish  possessions 
on  the  Pacific.  No  line  of  coast  is  so  perfectly  safe 
to  navigate.  It  is  literally  without  danger  of  any 
description  whatever,  and  more  resembles  a  lake 
navigation   than   that   of   an   immense   ocean. 

The  Pacific  coast  of  Spanish  America  is,  in  unin- 
terrupted extent,  equal  to  the  whole  coast  of  the  Old 
World,  from  the  Naze  of  Norway  to  Cape  Verd,  in 
Africa.  What  reflections  must  this  give  rise  to  when 
we  consider  that  this  line  of  coast  comprehends 
Denmark,  Germany,  Holland,  the  Netherlands, 
Great  Britain,  France,  Portugal,  Spain,  Italy,  the 
countries  round  the  Mediterranean,  and  part  of 
Africa  ?  And,  certainly,  the  American  shores  are 
bounded  by  countries  naturally  more  rich  than  all 
those  ancient  and  powerful  countries  united.  The 
whole  of  this  American  coast  was  inhabited  before 
its  discovery  by  the  Spaniards,  and  many  parts  of  it 
possessed  by  a  people  far  advanced  in  civilization ; 
yet    this    immense    coast,    possessing    all    the    natural 


288  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

productions  on  the  terrestrial  globe,  and  enjoying 
every  conceivable  advantage  for  trade,  had,  over 
its  whole  extent,  —  after  being  three  hundred  years 
in  the  possession  of  Spain,  —  not  more  than  about 
thirty  vessels,  exclusive   of   launches ! 

Had  this  coast  and  the  adjacent  countries  fallen 
to  the  lot  of  England,  or  any  other  commercial  and 
enterprising  nation,  what  would  have  been  their 
state  at  this  day  ?  Would  they  not  have  rivaled 
Asia  ?  Would  they  not  have  been  even  superior  in 
riches  and  commerce  to  that  celebrated  continent  ? 
The  American  countries  so  situated  are,  in  fact, 
naturally  richer  than  India,  and  offer  more  objects 
of  commerce  if  they  were  well  peopled  by  an  enter- 
prising race ;  the  productions  of  the  soil  are  more 
varied,  owing  to  the  greater  variation  of  climate ; 
their  mineral  riches  are  beyond  comparison  greater; 
and  the  useful  domestic  animals  abound  in  much 
greater  perfection  and  in  greater  numbers ;  while 
the  whole  of  the  valuable  tropical  fruits  of  Asia 
either  are  produced  there,  or  might  be  so  if  culti- 
vated. All  those  immense  advantages,  however,  had 
not  the  power  to  rouse  the  dormant  energies  of 
the  Spaniard.  It  appeared  as  if  those  extraordi- 
nary bounties  of  nature  had  the  effect  of  lulling 
them  into  apathy ;  but  whatever  the  cause  might 
have  been,  certain  it  is  that,  until  the  time  that 
those   magnificent   countries   were   wrested   from   the 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  289 

Spanish  nation  by  her  own  sons,  the  whole,  or 
almost  the  whole,  of  so  many  sources  of  commer- 
cial wealth  were  entirely  neglected.  The  coasts 
were  without  commerce  or  navigation.  A  death- 
like tranquillity  reigned  in  all  the  provinces,  the 
inhabitants  of  one  being  scarcely  known  to  the  other. 
Indeed,  it  may  be  questioned  if  the  people  of  Mexico 
at  that  time  knew  much  more  of  Chile  or  Buenos 
Ayres  than  the  inhabitants  of  Labrador  know  of 
Patagonia   at   the   present   day. 

The  Spanish  system  of  exclusion  and  restrictions 
on  all  foreign  trade  with  their  possessions  in  America 
is  well  known,  but  it  is  remarkable  that  the  duties 
and  restrictions  on  their  own  coasting  trade  were 
also  most  oppressive.  The  reason  for  this  is  quite 
incomprehensible,  as  it  bore  only  on  the  subjects 
of  Spain,  and  could  hardly  be  supposed  to  promote 
their  leading  principle,  viz.,  to  favor  the  trade  of 
the  mother  country.  The  produce  of  one  district 
could  not  be  imported  into  another  without  paying 
a  hea\'y  duty,  under  the  name  of  alcabala ;  neither 
could  it  be  removed  from  one  place  of  sale  to 
another,  in  the  same  district,  without  paying  over 
again  the  same  alcabala ;  so  that  every  time  goods 
were  moved  from  one  town  to  another,  an  additional 
duty  was  to  be  paid,  and  this  duty  has  been  justly 
styled  the  never- ending  alcabala.  The  multiplicity 
of    laws    and    regulations    by    which    Spain    fettered 

19  U 


290  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

every  sort  of  commerce  in  the  American  colonies,  the 
vexatious  and  capricious  conduct  of  the  miHtary  and 
custom-house  officers  so  notorious  in  those  countries, 
also  tended  greatly  to  discourage  coasting  navigation ; 
and  so  little  practiced  and  so  ignorant  of  their  pro- 
fession were  the  navigators  on  the  Pacific  coast,  that 
it  was  considered  a  greater  adventure  for  a  coasting- 
vessel  to  go  from  one  province  to  another  than  it 
would  be  by  others  to  make  a  voyage  round  the 
world.  There  were  in  Lima  two  or  three  large 
vessels  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  wheat  from 
Chile.  Those  vessels  belonged  to  the  bakers,  and 
made  one  voyage  during  the  year.  They  had  their 
stated  seasons  at  which  they  sailed,  and  their  depart- 
ure was  fixed  to  a  day.  They  had  also  their  fixed 
track,  from  which  they  never  deviated.  The 
voyage  from  Lima  to  Valparaiso  is  only  about  four 
hundred  leagues,  but  took  usually  about  three 
months  to  perform  it  in.  A  story  is  told  of  one 
of  these  vessels  having  got  to  Chile  in  fifty  days, 
and  the  captain  was  put  into  the  Inquisition  on  the 
suspicion  of  his  having  had  to  do  with  the  Devil. 
The  voyage  back  to  Lima,  being  by  a  favorable 
wind,  was  performed  in  much  less  time.  This 
voyage  is  now  performed  outwards  in  about  twenty 
days,  and  back  in  about  ten.  The  same  practice 
was  observed  in  the  navigation  of  the  other  parts 
of  the  coast.     That  from  San   Bias  to   Monterey,  in 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  291 

California,  required  from  two  to  three  months,  but 
is  now  performed  in  about  twenty  days.  In  all  the 
coasting  trade  of  America,  as  well  as  in  the  foreign 
voyages  of  the  Spaniards,  a  fixed  track  was  laid 
down,  and  never  on  any  account  deviated  from.  The 
orders  of  the  government  often  pointed  out  the  day 
of  sailing,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  and  the 
route  pursued ;  and  a  law  was  in  force  regulating 
the  day  on  which  vessels  and  fleets  should  depart 
from  the  different  ports  of  America  to  Spain,  Manila, 
&c.,  which  neither  the  captain,  agents,  nor  owner 
durst  disobey.  When  a  Spanish  merchant  vessel 
arrived  in  any  of  the  American  ports,  the  captain  was 
obliged  immediately  to  wait  on  the  commandant 
and  to  deliver  up  to  him  the  ship's  papers.  From 
that  moment  the  vessel  and  captain  were  entirely 
under  the  orders  of  the  commandant.  Under  the 
Spanish  law,  all  merchant  seamen  and  officers  are 
subject  to  the  marine  law.  They  are  liable  to  be  tried 
for  all  offenses,  and  have  the  privilege  to  be  sued 
for  civil  debt  only,  before  the  marine  military  tribunal ; 
so  that  the  captain  and  crews  of  merchant  ships 
were  always  under  martial  law,  and  subject  to  the 
immediate  orders  of  the  naval  officers  command- 
ing at  the  ports  where  they  might  arrive.  All 
merchant  vessels,  before  their  sailing,  had  also  to  be 
examined  by  the  orders  of  the  commandant,  and 
must   be   pronounced   by  him   as   fit  for  performing 

U  2 


292  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

their  voyage  in  respect  to  the  sufficiency  of  the  hull, 
tackle,  provisions,  officers,  and  men,  and  receive  a 
certificate  to  this  effect.  This,  as  may  be  supposed, 
led  to  the  most  scandalous  abuses,  and,  in  the  state 
of  corruption  at  which  Spanish  agents  had  arrived 
in  the  Americas,  this  certificate  was  not  often  to 
be  obtained  without  fees  and  bribes  proportionate 
to  the  ability  of  the  giver  or  the  rapacity  of  the 
receiver.  No  redress  was  left  to  the  unhappy 
captain  or  supercargo  of  a  vessel  who  fell  into  the 
hands  of  a  rapacious  commandant,  or  one  whom 
he  might  have  offended ;  for  a  Spanish  employee 
never  failed  to  fortify  himself  with  such  an  over- 
whelming multitude  of  legal  documents,  signed 
and  countersigned  by  judges  and  notaries,  and 
approved  by  all  the  cautious  checks  which  the 
Spanish  government,  in  its  wisdom,  had  invented  to 
prevent  fraud  in  their  American  officers !  The  civil 
institutions  of  the  Spaniards  were,  in  this  respect, 
much  in  the  style  of  their  religious  discipline. 
If  an  officer  took  care  to  make  out  the  whole  of 
the  complicated  written  documents  required  by  the 
regulations,  if  he  had  the  number  of  prescribed 
signatures,  the  approbation  and  attestation  of  the 
various  officers  appointed  to  check  and  countercheck 
his  accounts,  he  might  rob  and  oppress  as  much 
as  he  pleased.  All  his  documents  being  correct, 
no    charge    could     be    made    against    him,    just    as 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  293 

a  good  Spanish  Catholic  may  commit  all  the  sins  in 
the  decalogue,  yet  if  he  conform  to  the  ceremonies 
prescribed  by  the  Church,  he  is  a  good  Catholic 
still,  and  the  Inquisition  itself  could  not  meddle 
with    him. 

It  would  be  curious  to  collect  some  of  the  voy- 
ages performed  by  the  Spaniards,  not  only  on  the 
American  coasts,  but  from  Manila  and  other  parts 
of  Asia,  as  well  as  from  Europe,  and  to  compare 
them  with  the  improved  navigation  of  the  present 
day.  I  shall  only  here  give  a  brief  account  of  one 
of  the  voyages  from  Manila  to  America,  as  related  to 
me  by  an  officer  of  the  vessel  which  performed  it. 

The  ship  Philipina,  of  seven  hundred  tons  burden, 
in  the  service  of  the  Spanish  Philippine  Company, 
commanded  by  Don  Juan  Yvergoytie,  a  captain 
in  the  Spanish  royal  navy,  officered  by  lieutenants 
and  midshipmen  also  of  the  navy,  and  manned 
with  a  crew  of  a  hundred  and  forty  men,  sailed 
from  Manila  in  1799,  with  a  cargo  of  bale- goods, 
bound  to  Lima.  On  leaving  Manila,  it  was  the 
captain's  intention  to  keep  to  the  southward,  by  a 
track  which  had  been  recommended  to  him,  and 
which  was  sanctioned  by  the  royal  authorities,  but, 
in  attempting  this  new  route,  they  encountered 
nothing  but  contrary  winds,  and  were  obliged,  after 
being  some  time  at  sea,  to  put  first  into  the  island 
of  Mindanao,  and  afterwards  into  the  Pellew  Islands, 


294  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  order  to  procure  a  fresh  stock  of  water  and  to 
recover  their  crew,  many  of  whom  were  already 
affected  with  scurvy.  The  captain  then  gave  up 
his  plan  of  pursuing  this  route,  and  proceeded  by 
the  usual  course  to  the  northward.  After  a  long 
passage,  they  made  the  coast  of  California,  and 
put  into  Monterey,  where  they  laid  in  a  fresh  stock 
of  water  and  provisions  and  refreshed  their  crew. 
They  then  left  that  port  and  proceeded  to  San 
Bias.  The  whole  time  occupied  in  the  voyage  from 
Manila  to  San  Bias  was  eleven  months ;  but  as  a 
great  proportion  of  the  voyage  to  Lima  was  still  to 
be  performed,  and  as  there  were  rumors  of  English 
vessels  being  in  the  Pacific,  the  captain  petitioned 
the  Viceroy  of  Mexico  to  be  allowed  to  discharge 
his  cargo  at  San  Bias,  which  was  granted,  and  a 
termination  put  to  this  eventful  voyage.  At  the 
present  time,  a  voyage  from  Manila  to  San  Bias 
is  performed  in  about  seventy  days,  and  from 
Manila  to  Lima  in  three  months.  If  the  good 
ship  Philipina  had  proceeded  to  Lima,  her  ultimate 
destination,  her  voyage  could  not  have  been  shorter 
than  fourteen  or  fifteen  months.  This  vessel 
remained  a  year  at  San  Bias,  where  her  expenses 
amounted  to  72,000  Spanish  dollars,  and  then 
returned   to    Manila. 

A  friend  of  mine  has  often  told   me  that  he  was 
the  first  who  owned  a  square-rigged   Mexican  vessel 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  295 

on  the  Pacific.  He  arrived  at  San  Bias  in  1802,  in 
a  vessel  belonging  to  the  Philippine  Company,  and 
having  obtained  liberty  to  remain  in  the  country, 
set  about  constructing  a  vessel  at  that  port,  for  the 
purpose  of  trading  on  the  coast.  After  an  infinity 
of  difficulties,  he  succeeded  in  launching  and  rigging 
his  vessel,  which  he  called  the  Guadalupe,  in  honor 
of  the  patron  saint  of  Mexico.  This  vessel  was  of 
the  burden  of  26  tons,  and  brig-rigged.  The  owner 
was  not  a  little  proud  of  his  enterprise  and  of  his 
vessel,  with  which  he  proceeded  to  trade  in  the 
Gulf  of  California.  He  had  also  the  honor  to  be 
the  first  who  entered  the  port  of  Guaymas  with  a 
sailing  vessel,  although  it  is  now  so  much  frequented 
by  vessels  of  all  descriptions.  On  approaching  this 
fine  harbor,  he  had  his  doubts  if  there  was  sufficient 
water  to  admit  the  Guadalupe,  for  she  drew  no 
less  than  four  feet  and  a  half  ;  but  by  keeping  the 
lead  constantly  going,  and  approaching  under  easy 
sail,  he  anchored  in  safety,  and  found  that  a  74-gun 
ship  might  have  done  so  alongside  of  him. 
This  vessel,  being  the  first  of  that  class  which  was 
ever  seen  on  that  part  of  the  coast,  created  great 
curiosity  and  wonder,  and  on  the  report  of  her 
arrival  reaching  the  interior,  the  country  people 
flocked  to  see  her,  the  most  respectable  families 
coming  from  a  great  distance  to  Guaymas  for 
that    purpose. 


296  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

Although  what  has  been  said  may,  in  some 
measure,  account  for  the  backwardness  and  want 
of  enterprise  which  was  so  remarkable  in  all  the 
Spanish  colonies  of  America,  yet  another  great  cause 
sprang  from  the  immense  field  which  every  one 
found  unoccupied  in  his  immediate  neighborhood, 
and  which  presented  at  home  more  objects  than 
his  industry  or  his  capital  could  embrace,  and 
prevented  him  from  embarking  in  maritime  enter- 
prises to  distant  parts,  with  which  he  had  few  or  no 
commercial  relations,  and  of  which  he  had  little 
geographical  knowledge.  A  Spanish  creole  of  Peru 
had  much  more  knowledge  of  the  land  of  Canaan 
or  Palestine  than  of  Mexico  or  California. 

The  separation,  however,  of  the  colonies  from  the 
mother  country,  and  consequently  from  the  Spanish 
monopoly,  opened  a  wide  field  to  all  sorts  of  enter- 
prise ;  but  the  native  inhabitants  were  without 
knowledge  or  means  to  profit  by  the  circumstance, 
in  as  far  as  regarded  the  navigation  and  commercial 
facilities  of  these  coasts.  The  want  was  at  first 
almost  entirely  supplied  by  strangers,  who  resorted 
to  these  countries  on  the  opening  of  the  ports,  and 
by  them  the  coasting  trade  was  at  first  exclusively 
carried  on.  The  vessels  were  owned  by  strangers, 
and  the  crews  consisted  of  foreign  seamen.  This, 
however,  was  soon  looked  on  with  jealousy  by  the  new 
republics,    although   some   of    the   more    enlightened 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  297 

saw  that  the  only  way  to  create  a  marine  was  to 
admit  foreign  sailors,  foreign  vessels,  and  foreign 
capital,  in  order  to  breed  up  their  own  people  to  a 
seafaring  life,  and  to  give  time  for  native  artisans 
and  native  capital  to  grow  up,  so  as  to  enable  them 
to  have  ships  and  a  coasting  trade  by  degrees. 
Chile  seemed  to  adopt  this  principle,  as  it  has  done 
every  other  liberal  one,  in  a  much  greater  degree 
than  any  of  the  other  states ;  but  Mexico,  which 
is  the  least  maritime  of  all  the  others,  and  ought 
to  admit  foreign  seamen  with  most  freedom,  has 
adopted  the  old-fashioned  and  exclusive  measures, 
as  if  it  were  a  first-rate  maritime  nation  of  the  old 
school,  decreeing  that  all  Mexican  vessels  shall  be 
commanded  and  officered  by  Mexicans,  and  that 
two  thirds  of  their  crews  shall  be  native  seamen. 
This  wise  decree  was  made  when  there  was  not  one 
Mexican  captain,  officer,  or  seaman  on  the  whole 
Pacific  coast  of  the  Mexican  republic  !  Mexico,  in 
this,  as  well  as  in  all  other  matters  of  commercial 
regulation,  has  adhered  more  than  any  of  her  sister 
republics  to  the  old  Spanish  regimen,  and,  like  her 
maternal  prototype,  has  succeeded  in  putting  herself 
almost  out  of  the  list  of  commercial  countries. 
While  the  government  is  continually  talking  of  the 
country's  regeneration,  and  of  its  determination  to 
adopt  a  liberal  system,  and  particularly  to  protect 
the   coasting   trade,    it   is   daily   issuing    some    absurd 


298  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

law  founded  on  the  jealousy  of  strangers  interfering, 
by  which  it  manages  to  put  the  country  almost  on 
the  same  footing  as  it  was  in  the  time  of  the  Spanish 
monopoly.  If  the  laws  now  in  existence  on  paper 
were  rigidly  enforced,  there  would  not  at  this  moment 
be  a  single  coasting-vessel  on  all  the  Mexican  coast 
of  the  Pacific.  There  is  not  a  single  vessel  at  this 
moment  commanded  by  a  Mexican,  nor  are  there 
any  officered  or  manned  by  natives,  yet  decrees 
are  thundered  out  against  abuses,  and  contraband, 
and  infractions  of  laws,  as  bulls  are  from,  the 
Vatican,  and  are  as  much  attended  to.  The  mis- 
erable and  antiquated  commercial  policy  of  Mexico 
has  rendered  the  merchants  in  her  dominions  a 
set  of  smugglers,  her  custom-house  officers  their 
abettors,  and  has  reduced  her  trade  and  the  reve- 
nues from  her  custom-houses  to  a  point  almost  of 
insignificance. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  not  appear 
strange  that  the  intercourse  between  California  and 
Mexico  has  never  been  very  active.  It  has  not 
improved  much  since  the  separation  of  the  countries 
from  Spain.  The  communication  between  the  two 
is  still  very  infrequent,  and  the  commercial  transac- 
tions of  no  importance  whatever.  California  holds 
hardly  the  relation  of  even  a  colony  to  Mexico. 
Mexico  has  more  intercourse  with  China  than  with 
California.     Even  at  the  time  I  am  writing,  advices 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  299 

are  not  received  in  Mexico  from  Monterey  above 
once  or  twice  in  a  year.  The  last  deputy  elected 
by  California  to  the  Mexican  Congress  informed 
me  that,  during  the  two  years  he  served,  he  only 
received  two  letters  from  California  while  in 
Mexico.  It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  new 
order  of  things  in  this  country  will  lead  to  more 
enlightened  views  and  greater  commercial  enterprise. 
The  new  project,  also,  of  a  line  of  communication, 
by  steamers,  along  the  whole  coast  of  the  Pacific, 
if  ever  carried  into  effect,  will  doubtless  modify 
considerably  the  present  state  of  things ;  but  nothing 
can  permanently  benefit  California  until  she  pos- 
sesses inhabitants  of  more  enlightened  views,  and 
consents  to  remodel  her  internal  economy,  civil 
and   political. 

Although  no  further  connected  with  the  subject 
of  the  present  chapter  than  in  having  reference  to 
navigation,  I  cannot  help  mentioning  in  this  place 
two  circumstances  of  recent  occurrence,  which  have 
come  to  my  notice,  and  which  may  by  some  be 
considered  as  illustrating  the  very  difficult  and 
long  -  contested  question  of  the  first  peopling  of 
America. 

The  British  brig  Forester,  bound  from  London  to 
the  river  Columbia,  and  commanded  by  Mr.  John 
Jennings,  fell  in  with,  in  the  year  1813,  a  Japa- 
nese  junk  of   about   700  tons   burden,   one   hundred 


300  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

and  fifty  miles  off  the  northwest  coast  of  America, 
and  abreast  of  Queen  Charlotte  Island,  about  49° 
of  north  latitude.  There  were  only  three  persons 
alive  on  board,  one  of  whom  was  the  captain.  By 
the  best  accounts  Captain  Jennings  could  get  from 
them,  they  had  been  tossing  about  at  sea  for  nearly 
eighteen  months.  They  had  been  twice  in  sight  of 
the  land  of  America,  and  driven  off.  Some  beans 
still  remained,  on  which  they  had  been  maintaining 
themselves,  and  they  had  caught  rain-water  for 
their  drink.  This  vessel  had  left  the  northern 
coast  of  Japan,  loaded  with  timber  for  some  of 
the  islands  to  the  southward,  and  had  been  blown 
off  the  coast  by  gales  of  wind.  She  had  no  masts 
standing,  but  was,  in  other  respects,  not  much 
injured.  Captain  Jennings  took  the  survivors  on 
board  of  his  vessel,  and  delivered  them  at  the  Russian 
settlement  of  Norfolk  [?]  Sound,  the  governor  of 
which,  owing  to  the  friendship  existing  between 
Russia  and  the  Japanese,  sent  a  vessel  on  purpose 
with  them  to  their  own  country.  In  the  course 
of  ages,  many  such  circumstances  might  happen ; 
and  if  a  vessel,  in  a  like  situation,  having  some 
women  on  board,  should  have  been  driven  on  shore 
on  the  American  coast,  the  origin  of  a  race  would 
have  been  the  result.  And,  considering  the  high 
antiquity  of  the  Japan  empire,  and  the  number  of 
ages  which  navigation  has  been  known  to  them,  it 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  301 

is  quite  probable  that  many  such  contingencies  should 
have  happened,  particularly  when  it  is  considered 
that  in  these  latitudes  the  prevailing  winds  blow 
from  the  westward,  and  consequently  directly  from 
the  coast  of  Japan  to  that  of  America. 

The  other  circumstance  is  the  recent  arrival  of  a 
Japanese  junk  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  of  which 
I  have  received  the  following  account.  '*  On  the 
1st  of  January,  1833,  a  Japanese  junk  appeared  off 
those  islands,  and  anchored  on  the  west  side  of 
Oahu,  when  a  native  of  China,  living  on  the  island, 
went  on  board  and  found  four  men  alive,  but  only 
one  able  to  walk.  The  account  they  gave  was,  that 
they  had  left  Japan  about  eleven  months  before, 
with  a  crew  of  eight  people ;  that  they  were  driven 
off  the  coast ;  that  they  had  been  living  on  salt  fish 
and  rain-water;  and  that  the  other  four  men  had 
died  of  starvation.  This  vessel  was  only  of  about 
eighty  tons  burden,  and  was  lost  in  attempting  to 
get  her  into  a  harbor  in  Oahu."  This  is  a  proof 
that  the  islands  in  the  Pacific  might  have  been,  at 
least,  peopled  from  the  same  quarter,  although  the 
arrival  of  vessels  from  Japan  at  these  islands  must 
have  been  more  rare  than  on  the  north  coast  of 
America,  because  they  are  situated  more  southerly, 
and  not  in  the  track  of  the  prevailing  westerly 
winds,  but,  on  the  contrary,  within  the  easterly 
trade   winds.      The    present    circumstance,    however. 


302  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

removes  all  doubt  of  the  possibility  of  such  arrivals, 
and  is  the  more  remarkable  as  the  Sandwich  Islands 
are  amongst  the  most  easterly,  and  consequently 
most  distant  from  the  Asiatic  continent,  so  that  the 
arrival  of  vessels  at  the  other  less  remote  islands  is 
still   more  probable. 

Revenue.  —  From  what  has  been  stated,  in  this 
and  the  preceding  chapter,  of  the  agriculture  and 
commerce  of  California,  its  revenue  cannot  be  sup- 
posed to  be  of  much  consequence.  It  may  be  said, 
indeed,  that,  before  the  revolution,  it  produced 
no  national  revenue  whatever.  The  tithes  which 
belonged  to  the  government  were  collected  from  the 
free  settlers,  but,  as  the  missions  were  exempted, 
their  value  was  a  mere  trifle.  On  the  opening  of 
the  ports  in  1821,  and  for  some  years  after,  the 
collectors  of  the  customs  were  officers  appointed 
by  the  different  presidios  to  receive  such  duties  as 
might  be  obtained  from  any  vessels  arriving  in  their 
respective  districts  ;  and  although  a  commissioner 
was  sent  from  Mexico  in  1825,  little  was  done  by 
him.  The  same  practice  continued  till  1828,  when 
Don  Jose  Maria  Echeandia  was  named  commandant- 
general,  who  appointed  a  collector  and  comptroller 
of  the  custom-house,  to  reside  at  San  Diego,  and 
to  have  subordinate  officers  at  Monterey.  Since 
that  time  some  order  has  been  introduced  in 
the    collection    of    the    duties.      About    this    time    it 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  303 

was  conceded  by  the  Mexican  government  that,  owing 
to  the  poverty  of  CaHfornia,  and  to  encourage  its 
settlement,  two  fifths  of  the  duties  estabUshed  by 
the  general  Mexican  tariff  should  be  deducted  on 
all  goods  landed  in  both  Californias ;  but  on  being 
re-exported  to  the  other  Mexican  states,  these  two 
fifths  should  be  exacted  on  the  goods  so  re-exported. 
This  regulation  still  exists.  The  Mexican  duties 
are  charged  by  a  tariff  which  fixes  the  rates  on 
every  different  article.  This  tariff  was  promulgated 
in  1828,  and  discovers  the  utter  incapacity  of  its 
framers  for  such  a  task.  The  whole  of  the  imports 
are  fixed  at  a  most  exorbitantly  high  rate,  which 
causes  a  duty  of  not  less,  in  most  cases,  than  from 
a  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  per  cent  on  the 
first  cost.  But  ridiculous  distinctions  are  formed, 
in  order  to  protect  the  imaginary  interests  of  their 
native  manufactures,  and  fruits  of  their  soil,  as 
well  as  many  prohibitions  with  the  same  object. 
The  modern  governments  of  the  world  are  at  last 
discovering  their  errors,  and  striving  to  explode 
the  old-fashioned  and  ruinously  illiberal  system 
of  protecting  duties  and  national  preference  to 
manufactures  and  arts  not  adapted  to  their  soil  or 
circumstances,  and  which  has  contributed  so  much 
to  the  alienation  of  one  people  from  another,  as  if 
they  had  distinct  interests,  and  as  if  they  ought 
to   contribute   to   the   discomfort    of    their   neighbors 


304  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

for  the  purpose  of  securing  some  imaginary  advantage 
to  themselves. 

The  Mexicans,  however,  still  see  nothing  but 
wisdom  and  the  sources  of  political  prosperity  in 
all  the  antiquated  prohibitions,  protections,  and  ' 
exorbitant  duties  of  the  most  barbarous  age  of 
commerce  !  This  outrageous  system,  so  contrary 
to  sound  policy,  and  so  opposite  to  the  modern 
and  enlightened  doctrines  of  political  economy, 
has  reduced  the  revenue  from  her  custom-houses  to 
a  trifle,  and  her  treasury  to  bankruptcy.  The  old 
colonial  system,  however  much  decried  by  the  new 
republics,  seems  so  rooted  in  their  natures  that 
nothing  but  what  savors  of  its  ancient  principles 
seems  good  policy.  The  same  organization  of  the 
custom-houses,  the  same  divisions  of  duties  under 
different  denominations  and  percentages  which  create 
an  interminable  set  of  accounts  and  documents, 
the  same  number  of  officers,  —  in  short,  the  same 
confusion,  and  facilities  for  contraband,  still  exist, 
in  their  revenue  department,  in  all  the  perfection 
of  the  olden  time.  These,  and  their  necessary 
appendages  of  alcabalas  and  custom-houses  in  every 
inland  town,  which  rendered  the  fiscal  laws  and 
practices  of  Spain  and  her  colonies  so  intolerable, 
still  flourish  in  all  their  vigor,  and  place  the  new 
republics  almost  out  of  the  pale  of  enlightened 
commercial     communities,    and    at    the    same    time 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  305 

make  them  so  remarkable  for  their  bad  financial 
credit.  The  whole  of  the  new  republics  which 
have  arisen  out  of  the  old  Spanish  colonies  have 
strictly  imitated  their  parent  in  putting  their  finances 
in  a  state  of  bankruptcy,  in  which,  under  their 
present   systems,  they   are   likely  to    remain. 

I  should  be  exceedingly  sorry,  by  the  foregoing 
general  observations,  to  inculpate  the  whole  of  the 
statesmen  in  those  new  countries  now  erected  into 
republics.  I  know  that  many  of  them  are  of  the 
most  liberal  and  enlightened  views,  and  capable  of 
governing  their  country  on  better  principles ;  and  I 
also  know  that  supposed  circumstances  of  necessity 
oblige  a  great  proportion  of  their  best -informed 
citizens  to  yield  to  the  policy  which  they  know 
to  be  mischievous,  in  the  hope  that  in  better  times 
wiser  measures  may  be  adopted;  but  it  unfortunately 
has  happened,  particularly  with  Mexico,  of  which 
country  I  am  now  speaking,  that  its  government 
has  been  hitherto  controlled  by  persons  who  have 
not  put  in  practice  even  the  rudiments  of  an 
enlightened  policy  in  its  commercial  laws,  nor 
made  one  step  to  the  reform  of  its  ruined  and 
bankrupt  finances.  Unfortunately,  the  great  bulk 
of  the  people  think  that,  instead  of  reducing  the 
duties,  abating  the  eternal  custom-houses,  and  sim- 
plifying •  the  absurd  classifications  of  duties  at  the 
maritime  custom-houses,   in  order  to  augment  their 

20  X 


306  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

prosperity  and  better  their  revenue,  they  have  only  to 
impose  higher  duties,  multiply  officers  of  the  customs, 
pass  restrictive  measures  for  the  encouragement  of 
native  manufactures  which  do  not  exist,  and  to  fulmi- 
nate decrees  and  issue  moral  precepts  against  unfaithful 
employees,  and  smuggling  citizens,  and  foreigners. 
In  this  manner  the  Mexican  government  has  gone 
on,  through  all  its  changes  in  the  steady  course  of 
heaping  duties  upon  duties,  multiplying  restriction, 
and  augmenting  offices,  till  its  mercantile  system  has 
become  a  monstrosity  not  to  be  paralleled  in  any 
corner  of  the  world. 

The  general  Mexican  tariff  applies  equally  to  Cali- 
fornia as  to  the  other  parts  of  the  republic,  except 
the  abatement  of  two  fifths  already  mentioned ;  but 
as  this  is  only  a  temporary  measure,  it  is  liable  to 
be  recalled  at  any  time  the  government  may  think 
fit.  Many  of  the  regulations  and  prohibitions  of 
this  tariff  are  quite  absurd  as  applied  to  California, 
for  its  productions  are  entirely  different  from  those 
of  the  tropical  climates  of  Mexico,  for  which  it 
is  adapted  ;  but  nothing  has  been  attempted  to 
modify  its  provisions  so  as  to  fit  it  to  the  peculiar 
circumstances  of   that  country. 

The  following  account  of  the  financial  state  of 
Upper  California  in  1831  may  be  depended  on.  It 
was  furnished  to  me  by  a  friend  well  acquainted 
with  the  subject. 


COMMERCE  — NAVIGATION  307 

The  expense  of  the  presidial  companies,  according 
to  the  late  regulations,  is  estimated  at  ninety- one 
thousand  dollars  per  annum,  to  which  must  be 
added  the  pay  of  the  commandant -general,  sub- 
inspector,  auxiliary  troops  of  the  squadron  of 
Mazatlan,  maintenance  of  the  convicts,  and  other 
various  charges,  which,  all  together,  may  be  reckoned 
at  forty  thousand  dollars.  This  will  make  the  whole 
charges  borne  by  the  general  Mexican  government 
amount  to  one  hundred  and  thirty- one  thousand 
dollars.  The  net  amount  of  the  revenue  does  not 
exceed  thirty- two  thousand  dollars,  thus  making  a 
deficiency  of  about  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
annually  to  be  borne  by  the  Mexican  treasury,  over 
the  revenue  produced  in  the  territory  of  Upper 
California. 

This  is  the  state  of  the  revenue  of  Upper  California, 
to  which  Mexico  would  have,  if  it  paid  its  debts  and 
its  soldiers,  to  remit  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
annually;  but  as  the  Mexican  treasury  is  not  in  the 
habit  of  satisfying  very  punctually  the  demands 
against  it,  and  as  it  has  quite  as  urgent  claims 
from  other  quarters  of  the  republic,  nearer  home, 
California  is  left  to  bear  the  deficiency  the  best 
way  it  can.  Instead  of  money,  military  officers 
and  placemen  are  sent,  with  reams  of  laws  and 
orders  to  repair  the  system,  and  to  apply  the 
current    nostrums   of   the   day   to   heal    all    maladies, 

X  2 


308  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

leaving,  as  heretofore,  the  soldiers  in  rags  and  the 
employees  without  pay.  The  result  of  the  whole 
is,  that  all  parties  have  to  recur  to  the  missions  and 
the  friars  for  their  daily  maintenance,  to  prevent 
them  from  starvation.  The  debt  owing  by  the 
government  to  the  missions  for  such  supplies 
amounted,  in  1831,  to  four  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand    dollars.* 

*  No  alterations  have  been  made  in  this  chapter  since  it  was  first 
written.  It  must,  consequently,  be  understood  to  refer  to  the  state 
of    things    previously    to    the    late    revolution.  —  Ed. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

UPPER    CALIFORNIA  CONSIDERED   AS  A  FIELD    FOR    FOREIGN 
COLONIZATION 

It  would  not  be  supposed,  a  priori,  that  men  would 
select  for  their  abode  either  the  extreme  northern 
regions,  where  the  fruits  of  the  earth  are  scarce, 
and  the  labor  required  to  produce  them  great,  and 
where  all  manner  of  privations  are  excessive,  or  the 
burning  climes  of  the  tropics,  where  dangers  and 
discomforts  of  a  very  different  kind,  but  equally 
great,  abound ;  and  yet,  however  inexplicable  it 
may  be,  we  find  human  beings  who  seem  to 
prefer  for  their  habitations  the  frozen  regions  of 
the  higher  latitudes,  and  the  scorching  plains  of  the 
torrid  zone.  We  find  people  clinging  to  a  soil 
which  does  not  yield  them  sufficient  subsistence, 
and  to  a  climate  which  threatens  to  freeze  them  to 
death.  We  find  human  beings  in  Patagonia  who 
have  to  support  life  by  eating  raw  fish  taken  from 
the  sea,  or  the  flesh  of  wild  animals,  whose  skins 
serve  to  preserve  them  from  perishing  of  cold.     We 

309 


310  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

also  find,  near  the  opposite  pole,  beings  equally 
wretched,  and  refusing  to  move  from  their  native 
snows.  We  find,  on  the  other  hand,  men  inhabiting 
the  most  pestiferous  situations,  under  the  very  line,  in 
the  midst  of  forests  and  marshes,  whose  exhalations 
communicate  to  the  air  they  breathe  pestilence  and 
death,  and  whose  whole  lives  are  passed  in  defending 
themselves  from  noxious  animals  and  poisonous 
reptiles.  Is  it  not  astonishing  that  the  frozen  and 
uninhabitable  shores  of  Patagonia,  Hudson's  Bay, 
the  pestiferous  marshes  of  the  tropical  coast  of 
America,  and  the  burning  sands  of  Africa,  should 
be  filled  with  people,  whilst  such  delightful  countries 
as  California  are  so  devoid  of  inhabitants  ?  Again, 
we  find  in  Europe  a  superabundant  and  daily 
increasing  population,  the  utmost  exertions  of  a 
great  part  of  whom  cannot  procure  them  bread. 
In  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  there  are  millions 
of  human  beings,  of  superior  intellects  and  varied 
acquirements,  who  find  it  utterly  impossible  to  get 
employment  or  food ;  and  yet  countries  exist,  in 
which  the  choicest  fruits  of  nature  are  left  to  waste 
for  want  of  hands  to  gather  them,  and  where  labor 
is  hardly  necessary  to  enable  every  one  to  live  in 
plenty.  While  in  Europe  lands  can  only  be  acquired 
by  the  rich  and  the  powerful,  in  some  of  the  finest 
countries  of  the  earth  luxuriant  soils  are  lying  waste, 
without  proprietors  and  without  cultivators. 


COLONIZATION  311 

Taking  every  circumstance  into  account,  perhaps 
no  country  whatever  can  excel  or  hardly  vie  with 
California  in  natural  advantages.  Its  geographical 
situation  is  such  as  one  would  point  out  if  he  was 
desired  to  select  the  most  favored  situation  in  the 
world.  Its  topographical  relations  are  also  most 
favorable.  It  stretches  along  the  shores  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean  without  extending  much  inland,  and  thereby 
enjoys  all  the  manifold  advantages  of  a  maritime 
country.*  By  its  great  extension  from  north  to 
south,  settlers  have  also  the  option  of  selecting  a 
climate  suited  to  their  health  or  views.  Other 
countries  there  are,  of  course,  which  have  the  same 
relative  situation  on  the  globe;  but  I  think  it  may 
safely  be  asserted  that  there  is  no  other,  of  the  same 
extent,  which  possesses  so  many  natural  and  local 
advantages.  Some  countries,  although  they  are 
placed  in  the  same  geographical  relation,  are  sandy 
deserts  or  inundated  marshes  ;  others  are  uninhabitable 
mountains  or  impervious  forests.  Some  are  destitute 
of  ports  and  rivers ;  while  others  are  surrounded 
or  possessed  by  savages,  or  bordered  by  shoals 
and  unapproachable  shores.  California,  on  the 
contrary,  enjoys  natural  and  local  advantages  equal 
to  its  geographical  situation.  Its  soil  is  of  the 
most    fertile    description,    capable    of    producing    the 

*  I  speak  of  that  part  inhabited  by  the  Spaniards,  for,  taken  in  its 
whole    extent,    California    reaches    far    inland. 


312  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

choicest  fruits  and  grains  in  the  greatest  perfection 
and  abundance.  Its  coasts  are  bold,  and  free  of 
danger,  washed  by  the  placid  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
possessed  of  ports  of  the  first  order.  It  is  also  watered 
by  abundant  rivers  ;  and  there  is  nothing  in  the 
configuration  of  the  surface  of  the  country  to  forbid 
the  eternal  spring  which  its  situation  promises. 
There  is  found  a  temperature  equally  removed 
from  extreme  heat  or  cold ;  and  the  range  of  hills 
which  bound  the  maritime  portion  of  California  to 
the  northeast  shelter  it  from  the  only  winds  which 
might  be  apprehended  seriously  to  injure  the  fruits 
of  its  soil  or  to  incommode  its  inhabitants. 

The  situation  of  California  for  intercourse  with 
other  countries,  and  its  capacity  for  commerce,  — 
should  it  ever  be  possessed  by  a  numerous  and 
industrious  population,  —  are  most  favorable.  Its 
western  shores  on  the  Pacific,  as  has  been  already 
shown,  possess  capacious  ports.  The  port  of  San 
Francisco,  for  size  and  safety,  is  hardly  surpassed 
by  any  in  the  world.  It  is  so  situated  as  to  be 
made  the  center  of  the  commercial  relations  which 
may  take  place  between  Asia  and  the  western  coasts 
of  America.  The  route  by  which  the  voyage  from 
India,  China,  Manila,  and  other  Asiatic  countries, 
is  performed  to  the  American  coast,  particularly  to 
that  of  Mexico,  Guatemala,  &c.,  obliges  vessels 
to   pass   very   near  the   coast   of   California,    because, 


COLONIZATION  313 

in  order  to  avoid  the  easterly  trade -winds,  it  is 
necessary  to  stand  to  the  northward  to  get  into 
the  variable  and  prevailing  westerly  winds,  just  as 
vessels  must  do  when  bound  from  the  West  Indies 
to  Europe.  The  vessels  of  the  Spanish  Philippine 
Company,  on  their  passage  from  Manila  to  San  Bias 
and  Acapulco,  generally  called  at  Monterey  for 
refreshments  and  orders.  Thus  it  appears  as  if 
California  was  designed  by  nature  to  be  the  medium 
of  connecting,  commercially,  Asia  with  America,  and 
as  the  depot  of  the  trade  between  those  two  vast 
continents,  which  possess  the  elements  of  unbounded 
commercial  interchange ;  the  one  overflowing  with 
all  the  rich  and  luxurious  commodities  always 
characteristic  of  the  East,  the  other  possessing  a 
superabundance  of  the  precious  metals  and  other 
valuable   productions  to   give   in   exchange. 

California  is  also  admirably  calculated  for  carrying 
on  a  trade  with  all  the  new  republics  bordering  on 
the  Pacific;  and  as  its  productions  are  of  a  different 
description  from  those  of  the  countries  chiefly  situ- 
ated within  the  tropics,  it  is  capable  of  furnishing 
therr^  with  articles  of  indispensable  necessity,  which 
hitherto  they  have  been  obliged  to  procure  from 
Europe  at  an  enormous  expense,  and  often,  from 
the  length  of  the  voyage,  rendered  useless  by  the 
damaged  state  in  which  they  arrived.  California 
could    furnish    abundantly    all    those    countries    with 


314  UPPER,    CALIFORNIA 

flour,  potatoes,  salted  provisions,  hides,  tallow,  butter, 
cheese,  wine,  brandy,  oil,  olives,  raisins,  apples,  and 
other  fruits,  as  also  with  hemp  or  cordage,  flax, 
wood,  pitch,  tar,  &c.,  all  of  which  would  arrive  by 
a  short  voyage,  and  in  perfect  condition,  and  be 
furnished   at   reasonable   prices. 

Another  commercial  field  offers  to  be  gradually 
opened,  in  the  numerous  islands  scattered  over  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  with  some  of  which,  particularly 
with  the  Sandwich  Islands,  considerable  dealings  are 
already  carried  on  by  foreign  vessels,  and  also  by 
those  under  the  Sandwich  Island  flag.  These  carry 
live-stock  to  those  islands,  which  have  benefited 
amazingly  by  the  introduction  of  black  cattle  and 
horses,  of  which  they  now  possess  large  numbers. 

The  foregoing  is  a  brief  view  of  what  commercial 
consequence  California  might  soon  arrive  at  if  peopled 
by  an  active  and  enterprising  race  of  men ;  but,  under 
the  present  system,  and  while  the  population  retain 
their  present  character  of  indolence  and  total  want 
of  enterprise,  it  must  stand  still.  If,  on  the  con- 
trary, this  country  was  under  an  enlightened  and 
liberal  government,  which  knew  how  to  promote 
its  colonization,  and  to  encourage  the  resort  of 
industrious  settlers,  from  whatever  quarter  they 
might  come,  it  could  not  fail  to  become  known, 
and  selected  as  a  refuge  by  the  innumerable  starving 
population  of  the  Old  World,  and  would  soon  be  one 


COLONIZATION  315 

of  the  most  interesting  and  prosperous  spots  on  the 
earth.  It  is  true  that  its  distance  from  Europe  is 
great,  but  it  is  not  much  greater  than  that  to  New 
Holland  or  Van  Diemen's  Land,  which  so  many 
emigrants  now  reach  at  a  moderate  expense. 

The  great  number  of  vessels  proceeding  to  fish  for 
whales  in  the  Pacific  might  also,  perhaps,  be  made 
the  means  of  conveying  emigrants  to  California,  so 
as  to  be  advantageous  both  to  the  owners  of  the 
vessels  and  the  passengers.  This  fishery  has,  of  late 
years,  been  most  successful  on  the  coast  of  Japan  ; 
and  to  vessels  passing  to  that  coast  round  Cape 
Horn,  California  would  not  be  much  out  of  the 
way.  They  would  there  be  able  to  refresh  their 
crews,  and  lay  in  a  fresh  stock  of  provisions  and 
water  for  their  ultimate  destination.  These  vessels 
carry  out  empty  casks  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
their  oil.  These  would  serve  for  carrying  water 
for  the  passengers,  so  that,  except  in  the  article  of 
provisions,  scarcely  any  additional  expense  would 
be    incurred. 

Should  the  projects,  now  much  talked  of,  of 
forming  a  railroad  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
and  of  establishing  a  line  of  steamers  along  the 
western  coast  of  South  America,  be  ever  carried 
into  effect,  the  means  of  transport  of  individuals  to 
California  would  be  extremely  easy,  and  in  less  than 
half    the    time    required    for   a   voyage   to   Australia. 


316  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

The  probability  of  the  commercial  advantages  of 
such  projects  forms  quite  a  separate  subject 
of    inquiry. 

The  opening  of  a  passage  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  or  at  some 
more  favorable  point  in  that  neighborhood,  by  means 
of  a  canal,  has  long  occupied  the  attention  of  the 
nautical  and  scientific  world;  and  if  this  enterprise 
should  ever  be  carried  into  effect,  a  voyage  from 
Europe  to  California  would  be  comparatively  short, 
and  emigrants  could  be  carried  there  with  little 
more  expense  than  to  Canada.  If  ever  this  route 
shall  be  opened,  California  will  then  be  one  of  the 
most  interesting  commercial  situations  in  the  world. 
It  would,  in  that  case,  be  the  point  of  rendezvous 
for  all  vessels  engaged  in  the  trade  between  Europe 
and  Asia  by  that  route.  It  is  nearly  mid -voyage 
between  those  two  continents,  and  would  furnish 
provisions  and  all  naval  supplies  in  the  most  ample 
abundance,  and  most  probably  would  become  a  mart 
for  the  interchange  of  the  commodities  of  the  three 
continents.  No  other  station  in  the  course  of  this 
route  would  be  in  any  way  equal  to  California.  The 
parts  of  America  through  which  the  supposed  canal 
must  pass  must  be  low  and  in  a  tropical  climate, 
consequently  unhealthy ;  they  are  also  unproductive 
of  provisions  and  naval  stores ;  whereas  California 
•presents  a  healthy  climate,  good  harbors,  provisions, 
and  naval  stores  of  all  descriptions. 


COLONIZATION  317 

The  opening  of  this  passage  may  perhaps  be 
considered  as  a  remote  contingency.  But  when 
we  reflect  on  what  has  been  achieved  within  the 
last  fifty  years,  what  has  been  the  progress  of  the 
world  in  that  time,  and  look  at  what  is  in  progress, 
is  it  too  much  to  indulge  in  a  hope  that  this 
enterprise,  so  manifestly  useful,  and  on  all  hands 
allowed  to  be  practicable,  may  at  no  very  distant 
period  be  accomplished  ?  If  California,  and  the 
country  through  which  the  proposed  canal  has  to 
pass,  had  appertained  to  England  for  three  hundred 
years,  as  they  have  done  to  Spain,  would  not,  at 
this  day,  such  a  canal  have  been  the  thoroughfare 
for  the  trade  to  Asia  ?  Nay,  would  not  the  people  of 
England  have  opened  this  communication  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  settling  such  a  country  as  California, 
if  no  other  object  had  been  taken  into  account  ? 

I  shall  here  presume  to  give  my  opinion,  that  all 
attempts  to  make  a  passage  between  the  two  oceans 
will  be  abortive,  unless  the  territory  through  which 
the  canal  passes  shall  be  ceded  in  sovereignty  to  some 
powerful  European  state,  or  put  under  the  guaranty 
of  a  convention  of  European  states,  because  the 
new  republics  into  which  the  late  Spanish  colonies 
have  been  divided  have  not  the  stability,  nor 
have  they  adopted  that  liberal  policy,  which  is 
necessary  to  insure  a  free  transit,  indispensable  for 
the    good    success    of    such    an    undertaking.      The 


318  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

security  of  those  who  had  to  expend  such  large 
sums  of  money,  and  the  protection  of  the  extensive 
commerce  which  would  have  to  pass  through  such 
territory,  are  alike  indispensable.  Another  consid- 
eration, in  my  opinion,  is  also  indispensable  to  the 
success  and  utility  of  this  undertaking,  viz.,  that 
the  canal  should  be  made  of  a  capacity  sufficient 
to  admit  merchant  vessels  to  pass  through  without 
discharging  their  cargoes.  To  make  a  canal  for 
boats,  or  on  any  other  scale  than  to  permit  vessels 
to  pass  on  to  the  ulterior  destination  of  the  goods, 
would  be  entirely  nugatory.  The  expense  and  delay 
of  transporting  the  cargoes  by  boats,  in  such  a  country 
as  that  through  which  the  canal  passes,  would  be 
very  great,  and  the  loss,  by  periodical  rains,  robbery 
by  an  ill  -  regulated  population,  and  a  thousand 
causes,  would  counterbalance  all  other  advantages ; 
but  the  principal  difficulty  and  expense  would  be 
to  procure  vessels  in  the  Pacific  to  prosecute  the 
remaining  part  of  the  voyage.  On  this  ocean, 
at  present,  the  freights  paid  for  vessels  are  most 
exorbitant,  and  from  the  nature  of  the  coasts  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  canal,  which  are  all 
unhealthy,  and  unfit  for  the  creation  or  maintenance 
of  a  marine,  no  improvement  of  consequence  is  to 
be  expected.  It  would  result,  in  the  case  supposed 
of  a  mere  boat-canal,  that,  after  a  cargo  had  been 
forwarded  to  the  eastern  entrance  of  the  canal,  and 


COLONIZATION  319 

transmitted  to  the  Pacific  by  boats,  the  time  that 
might  elapse  before  a  vessel  could  be  procured  to 
proceed  with  this  cargo  to  China  or  other  destination 
would  be  more,  and  the  expense  greater,  than  if 
the  original  vessel  had  proceeded  directly  round  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  It  has  been  lately  much 
recommended  to  make  a  railroad  from  Porto  Bello 
to  Panama,  or  somewhere  in  that  vicinity;  but  the 
foregoing  objections  exist  to  this,  in  all  their  force, 
as  to  a  canal  for  boats,  and  I  should  consider  such 
an  undertaking  utterly  useless,  in  a  commercial  point 
of  view.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  canal  was  made 
capable  of  admitting  vessels  to  pass  through  with 
their  cargoes,  the  delay  would  be  very  small  and  the 
expense  trifling.  Asia  would  be  thereby  brought 
by  one  half  nearer  to  Europe,  and  the  passage 
to  all  the  west  coast  of  America  and  the  Pacific 
islands  shortened  in  a  still  greater  degree.  This 
revolution  in  the  commerce  with  Asia  and  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  if  it  were  to  happen,  would  aggrandize  the 
country  of  which  we  have  been  treating,  in  an 
extraordinary  manner ;  and  however  distant  this 
era  may  be,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that,  in 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  when  such  rapid 
progress  is  making  in  everything  that  is  useful,  this 
gigantic  improvement  will  be  indefinitely  delayed, 
and  particularly  when  it  would  appear  that  the 
means    are    but    trifling    in    comparison    to    the    end 


320  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

proposed.  When  we  look  at  what  has  already  been 
done  in  North  America,  England,  Holland,  France, 
and  other  countries,  the  undertaking  alluded  to 
does  not  appear  to  be  formidable.  Perhaps  the 
Caledonian  Canal,  which  passes  through  Scotland, 
and  unites  the  North  Sea  with  the  Atlantic,  is  not  a 
much  inferior  undertaking  to  the  one  proposed,  and 
the  plan  on  which  it  has  been  constructed  ought  to 
be  adopted.  This  canal  is  capable  of  admitting  the 
largest  loaded  merchant  vessels  to  pass  through  it 
without  discharging ;  and  one  of  the  same  capacity 
between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  would  effect  all 
the  vast  advantages  which  I  have  mentioned,  and, 
indeed,  many  more. 

In  the  present  unsettled  and  uncertain  state  of 
Upper  California,  in  its  internal  and  external  political 
relations,  and  more  particularly  in  the  state  of  anarchy 
which  has  resulted  from  the  changes  that  have 
taken  place  since  the  preceding  chapters  of  the 
present  work  were  written,  it  would  be  absurd  to 
recommend  it  as  a  field  for  emigration  at  this 
moment.  As,  however,  this  state  of  things  cannot 
be  expected  to  be  permanent,  and  as  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that,  whether  the  country  reunites  itself  with 
Mexico  or  achieves  permanent  independence,  more 
liberal  and  enlightened  principles  of  government 
and  state  polity  will  prevail,  there  appears  much 
probability  that  the  views  that  have  heretofore  been 


COLONIZATION  321 

entertained  respecting  the  colonization  of  the  coun- 
try by  foreigners  will  be  greatly  modified,  and  that 
encouragement  will  be  given  to  the  only  proceeding 
calculated  to  effect  the  permanent  prosperity  of  the 
country.  Should  such  be  the  case,  I  know  of  no 
place,  as  I  have  already  stated,  better  calculated  for 
receiving  and  cherishing  the  superflous  population  of 
Great  Britain.  Hitherto,  nothing  could  have  been 
less  encouraging  to  the  settlement  of  strangers  than 
the  proceedings  of  the  successive  governments  of 
republican  Mexico.  For  although  the  different 
parties  who  have  ruled  the  country  have,  in  many 
public  acts,  held  forth  their  great  desire  to  encour- 
age emigration  to  all  parts  of  the  country,  all  their 
laws  devised  with  this  object  have  been  dictated  too 
much  in  the  old  Spanish  spirit  to  be  really  practically 
useful.  By  the  multiplication  of  regulations  and 
restrictions,  they  contrived  to  envelop  their  meaning 
and  provisions  in  such  uncertainty  that  they  could 
scarcely  be  understood,  while  most  of  them  embraced 
some  antiquated  prohibitive  principle  which  rendered 
the  whole  nugatory.  In  all  of  the  acts  relating  to 
emigration,  for  instance,  there  have  been  such 
absurd  clauses  as  that  the  emigrant  must  profess  the 
Catholic  religion;  that  he  shall  have  a  certain  capital, 
a  trade  or  profession ;  that  he  shall  appear  before  the 
authority,  shall  have  a  regular  passport,  &c. 

As   yet,   few  strangers   have   established   themselves 

21  Y 


322  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

in  Upper  California.  Such  as  have  done  so,  have 
proceeded  thither,  as  it  were,  casually,  in  vessels 
trading  to  the  coast,  and  are,  consequently,  chiefly 
seafaring  men ;  but  several  mechanics  and  others 
have  also  established  themselves,  and  all  have  been 
received  with  the  utmost  kindness  by  the  natives,  and 
the  greater  part  of  them  have  intermarried  with  them. 
The  native  inhabitants  are  indeed  remarkable  for  their 
peaceable,  inoffensive  character;  and  on  their  part 
no  opposition  is  to  be  apprehended.  It  might  be 
presumed  that  the  chief  opposition  to  the  admission 
of  strangers  was  to  be  expected  from  the  missionaries. 
It  would  be  supposed  that,  from  their  education, 
and  from  the  fear  of  losing  the  influence  they 
possess,  none  could  view  the  entrance  of  strangers 
with  so  much  jealousy  as  they;  but  it  is  a  curious 
fact,  that,  from  the  first  establishment  of  these 
missions  to  the  present  day,  as  well  in  the  time  of 
the  Spanish  government  as  under  the  republican 
system,  the  reception  of  strangers  has  always  been 
much  more  cordial  by  the  missionaries  than  by  the 
government  officers  !  The  different  navigators  who 
have  touched  on  the  coast  of  California  since  its  first 
settlement  have  unanimously  borne  testimony  to 
this  fact ;  and  since  the  country  has  been  opened 
to  strangers  indiscriminately,  the  hospitality  and 
kindness  of  the  missionaries  have  been  the  praise  of 
every  one  who  has  been  there.      Foreign  mechanics 


COLONIZATION  323 

have  been  employed  at  almost  all  the  missions,  and 
the  most  cordial  reception  experienced  by  all  of 
them.  As,  however,  the  greatest  part  of  the  lands 
to  the  southward  of  Monterey,  and  along  the  coast, 
are  in  the  hands  of  the  missions,  it  is  not  to  be 
expected  that  they  could  view  with  satisfaction 
any  large  number  of  emigrants  landing  in  their 
territories,  and  which  might  require  the  cession  of 
land,  or  interfere  to  disturb  their  peculiar  system. 

But,  indeed,  whenever  circumstances  permit 
foreign  emigrants  to  establish  themselves  in  Upper 
California,  they  ought  to  settle  to  the  northward  and 
eastward  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  and  on  the 
lands  around  that  bay,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Sacramento,  and  other  streams  which  fall  into  it. 
These  are  the  best  lands,  and  in  the  best  climate 
for  settlers  from  the  north  of  Europe.  They  are 
peculiarly  favorable  for  the  raising  of  wheat  and 
other  grain,  and  for  the  rearing  of  cattle.  The 
immense  tracts  of  fertile  land  not  encumbered  by 
forests,  the  facility  of  water  intercourse  by  the 
country  being  intersected  by  the  creeks  on  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco,  and  the  various  branches  of  the 
rivers  which  fall  into  it,  render  this  situation  highly 
advantageous  ;  and  its  northerly  situation,  and  the 
general  distribution  of  the  rains  throughout  the  year, 
make  it  fitter  for  agricultural  pursuits  than  the 
more   southerly  districts.     It   has   also   the   advantage 

Y  2 


324  UPPER    CALIFORNIA 

of    being    but    little    inhabited,    and   is   unconnected 
with   the   possessions  of  the   missionaries. 

It  ought  also  to  be  a  fundamental  principle,  in  any 
plan  of  emigration  to  this  country,  that  a  sufficient 
number  should  go  together,  in  order  that  they 
might  form,  at  first,  a  society  by  themselves.  Their 
lands  should  be  selected  as  distinct  from  those  of 
the  missions  and  the  present  free  towns  as  possible, 
so  that  no  dispute  as  to  territory,  or  on  any  other 
account,  could  ensue.  For  this  reason,  the  lands  on 
the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  as  before  recommended, 
are  the  most  proper.  In  the  course  of  time,  the 
emigrants  and  the  native  settlers  would  become 
acquainted,  and  approximate.  Their  union  would 
be  the  consequence,  and  this  would  tend  to  promote 
their  mutual  happiness  and  prosperity.  But  all  this 
presupposes  great  reform  to  be  made  in  the  character 
of  the  Mexican  government  and  its  agents ;  for  it 
must  be  admitted  that,  at  present,  British  emi- 
grants would  not  find  themselves  much  at  ease 
under  the  control  of  the  local  authorities  in  any 
district  of  the  republic.  Nothing  can  be  more 
different  from  the  non-interference  with  private 
enterprise  and  private  conduct  which  characterizes 
the  British  policy,  than  the  meddling  and  vexatious 
interference  of  the  military  and  civil  authorities, 
which  mixes  in  all  the  business  of  life  in  the  present 
Spanish-American    countries,    and   which   is   thought 


COLONIZATION  325 

necessary  to  enforce  the  infinity  of  laws  and  regu- 
lations enacted  for  the  guidance  of  the  citizens  in 
their  most  minute  affairs.  This  is  a  never-failing 
source  of  annoyance  and  disgust,  and  gives  perpetual 
opportunities  for  injustice  and  oppression.  The 
prisons  in  all  parts  of  the  republic  are  more  full 
than  they  ever  were  in  the  time  of  the  Spaniards, 
and  the  most  slight  pretext  is  quite  sufficient  to 
justify  an  alcalde  or  a  military  officer  in  sending 
any  one  to  prison,  and  keeping  him  there  during 
his   will   and   pleasure. 


APPENDIX 


I 


Remarks  on  the  Harbors  of  California,  with 
Directions  for  Navigating  Them.  By  Captain 
John  Hall.     (Extract  o/'^  Letter /o //^^  Editor.  ) 

*****  The  following  particulars  are  extracted  from 
my  journal  of  a  voyage  made  to  the  coasts  of  California 
in  the  year  1822.  I  give  them  literally  as  set  down  in  my 
log-book    at  the  time. 

La  Bodega.  —  On  the  8th  of  June  we  entered  the  port 
of  this  the  most  southern  settlement  of  the  Russians  on  the 
west  coast  of  California.  It  lies  in  lat.  38°  19'  north,  and 
is  only  about  58  miles  N.  W.  of  San  Francisco,  the  most 
northern  of  the  Spanish  missions  on  that  coast.  On  the 
following  day  we  were  visited  by  the  Russian  governor,  who 
came  from  the  town,  which  is  situated  about  30  miles  north, 
on  the  coast.  He  brought  with  him  two  fine  fat  sheep,  a 
large  tub  of  butter,  and  some  milk,  which  were  very 
acceptable  after  a  long  voyage,  and  gave  us  proof  at  once 
of  his  hospitality,  and  of  the  abundance  and  cheapness  of 
provisions.  The  price  of  a  bullock,  at  this  time,  was  only 
twelve  dollars,  and  of  a  fine  sheep,  two  dollars.  Vegetables 
were    also    plentiful    in    their    proper    season. 

To   sail    into    this    port  when    the   winds    are    from   the   N.  W. 

(and     these     are     the     prevailing    winds     throughout     nearly    the 

327 


328         HARBORS    OF    CALIFORNIA 

whole  year,  with  the  exception  of  the  winter  months),  a 
vessel  coming  from  the  northward  should  pass  between 
the  point  and  the  rock,  as  a  dangerous  shoal  lies  immediately 
off  the  south  end  of  the  rock.  We  anchored  with  the  rock 
bearing  W.  by  S. ,  distant  three  quarters  of  a  mile.  The 
bottom  is  good  holding- ground  all  throughout,  being  a  mixture 
of  clay  and  sand.  In  port,  a  vessel  is  sheltered  from  all 
winds  but  the  south  and  S.  W.  The  watering-place  is  situated 
in  the  small  bay  where  the  Russian  storehouse  stands,  and 
the    water    is    good,    and    easy    of    access. 

On  the  14th  of  June,  we  sailed  from  La  Bodega,  proceed- 
ing southward  for  the  adjoining  Mexican  port  of  San  Francisco, 
which  we  entered  on  the  17th,  having  been  detained  on ,  account 
of  the  thick,  foggy  weather  and  light  winds,  which  caused 
us    to    anchor    frequently. 

San  Francisco.  —  In  entering  this  port,  which  is  one 
of  the  best  and  most  interesting,  from  its  security  and 
magnitude,  in  the  world,  great  attention  must  be  paid  to 
the  tides,  which,  during  the  full  and  change  of  the  moon, 
run  very  rapid,  and,  I  should  think,  in  mid  -  channel,  at  the 
'  rate  of  six  miles  per  hour.  A  vessel  going  in  would  do  well 
to  keep  in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  as  on  both  sides  there 
are  very  strong  eddies,  in  which  you  are  apt  to  lose  the 
command  of  the  helm,  and  consequently  are  obliged  to 
anchor.  After  getting  within  the  heads,  keep  Fort  Blanco 
about  a  point  on  the  starboard  bow.  Passing  the  fort,  the 
anchorage  is  situated  in  a  small  bay  immediately  abreast 
of  the  Presidio^  where  a  vessel  will  find  good  holding- ground 
in  five  fathoms,  about  a  cable' s  -  length  from  the  beach. 
Provisions  are  cheap.  A  bullock  costs  only  six  dollars,  and 
eggs    are    two    dollars    per    hundred.      The    harbor    also    abounds 


HARBORS    OF    CALIFORNIA         329 

with  fish,  which  can  be  procured  with  a  net,  in  great 
quantities. 

Monterey.  —  On  the  20th,  we  weighed  for  Monterey, 
where  we  came  to  on  the  24th,  saluting  the  fort  with  five 
guns,  which  were  returned  by  the  same  number.  As  a 
harbor,  Monterey  is  extremely  inferior  to  San  Francisco. 
However,  it  is  quite  protected  from  the  south  and  S.  W. 
winds  ;  and  by  anchoring  well  under  the  point,  a  vessel 
may  also  be  protected  from  the  N.  W. ,  although  the  N.  W. 
winds  send  in  a  very  heavy  swell.  Fish  here,  also,  is 
plentiful,  as  are,  likewise,  provisions  generally,  including  good 
bread. 

On  the  27th  of  the  same  month,  we  took  our  departure  for 
Santa    Barbara,   where    we    came    to    an    anchor    on    the    29th. 

Santa  Barbara.  —  This  bay  is  only  sheltered  from  the 
N.  W.  winds,  being  exposed  to  the  south  and  S.  W.  The 
anchorage  is  not  very  good,  being  hard  sand,  and  over- 
grown with  seaweed.  We  had  such  a  quantity  of  this  on 
our  anchor  when  we  hove  it  up,  that  it  entirely  impeded 
the  ship's  progress  until  we  got  it  clear.  We  found  no 
tide  nor  currents,  but  there  appeared  to  be  a  rise  and  fall, 
inshore,  of  about  two  feet.  All  kinds  of  provisions  are  cheap 
here,  as  also  fruits,  viz.,  grapes,  pears,  apples,  and  plums, 
in    their    season. 

San  Pedro.  —  We  sailed  from  Santa  Barbara  on  the 
6th  of  July,  and  anchored,  in  the  Bay  of  San  Pedro  on 
the  8th,  in  the  evening.  We  found  the  anchorage  good,  and 
a  safe  landing-place  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  south 
of  the  small  rock  or  island  marked  in  the  chart.  The 
mission  of  San  Gabriel  is  about  ten  leagues  distant  from  the 
landing-place,    which    latter    is    called    San    Pedro.        This    name 


330         HARBORS    OF    CALIFORNIA 

can  be  only  applicable  to  the  anchorage,  as  the  shore,  at  the 
time  we  visited  it,  had  no  houses  erected  upon  it,  nor  were 
there  any  cultivated   grounds  adjoining. 

San  Juan.  —  On  the  13th  we  sailed  for  San  Juan,  where 
we  anchored  on  the  following  day  ( it  being  distant  only 
about  30  miles),  in  five  fathoms  water.  In  coming  into  this 
bay  from  the  north,  care  must  be  taken  to  give  the  bluff 
point  a  wide  berth,  as  some  dangerous  rocks  lie  off  it, 
distant  about  a  mile  or  more.  Here,  provisions,  fruits, 
vegetables,  and  fish  are  plentiful.  Good  wine  can  also  be 
procured  from  the  friars,  both  white  wine  and  red,  the 
latter    being    of    a    peculiarly    fine    flavor. 

San  Diego.  —  On  the  18th  we  got  under  weigh  again, 
for  the  neighboring  port  of  San  Diego,  where  we  arrived 
on  the  following  day,  anchoring  in  ten  fathoms,  about  a 
mile  wide  of  the  point.  We  found  the  tide  setting  out  at 
the  rate  of  one  and  a  half  miles  per  hour.  A  vessel  should 
always  keep  the  north  shore  aboard,  as  we  found  the 
deepest  water  there.  Grapes  here  are  in  great  abundance, 
and    good    wine    is    produced    from    them. 

The  ports  of  La  Bodega,  San  Francisco,  Monterey,  Santa 
Barbara,  San  Pedro,  and  San  Diego,  are  so  accurately  delineated 
in  the  chart  by  Mr.  Arrowsmith,  now  before  me,*  that  any 
further  remarks  would  be  superfluous  ;  and  it  is  needless 
to  dilate  upon  the  minor  ports  both  of  Upper  and  Lower 
California,  which,  although  the  seats  of  missions,  are  yet 
of  little  mercantile  importance,  always,  however,  excepting 
the    port    of    San    Quintin,    lat.    30°    23'    N. 

When   we   arrived   on   the   coast,   the    country   had,    only  a   few 

*  The    map    attached    to    this    vokime.  —  Ed. 


HARBORS     OF    CALIFORNIA         331 

weeks  before,  declared  itself  independent  of  Spain.  We 
were  consequently  received,  on  our  entrance  to  every  new 
port,  in  a  hostile  manner,  or  with  great  suspicion,  until  they 
satisfied    themselves    that    we    were    not    a    Spanish    cruiser. 

We  were  surprised  to  find  a  Russian  establishment  so  far 
south  as  La  Bodega,  but  the  inhabitants  all  along  the  coast 
considered  it  as  an  intrusive  settlement  within  the  boundaries 
of  Mexico,  and  threatened  to  drive  them  (the  Russians)  out 
whenever  they  should  have  sufficient  force.  By  the  latest 
accounts,    the    Russians    are    still    there,    and    increasing. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  remark  that  CaHfornia,  viewed  as 
a  maritime  station,  is  unrivaled  by  any  other  section  of  the 
western  coast  of  America.  The  ports  of  San  Francisco, 
San  Diego,  and  San  Quintin  afford  the  most  secure  anchorage 
for  numerous  fieets,  with  facilities  for  establishing  wharves, 
docks,  and  arsenals  of  all  descriptions.  The  climate  is  one 
of  the  best  and  most  healthy  I  have  ever  visited,  and  the 
country  is  one  of  the  most  fertile.  Exclusive  of  Lower 
California,  this  country  contains  upwards  of  430,000  square 
miles,  and,  allowing  only  fifty  inhabitants  to  each,  is  capable 
of  supporting  a  population  of  twenty- one  millions  of  people. 
From  its  geographical  position,  it  possesses  very  great  advantages, 
on  account  of  the  expeditious  and  easy  intercourse  which  it 
can  maintain  with  Japan,  China,  the  Philippine  Islands, 
India,  Australia,  and  all  the  islands  in  the  Pacific.  In  the 
above  computation  of  space  and  population,  that  small  part  of 
territory  occupied  by  the  Russians  is  included,  as,  I  believe, 
neither  by  treaty  nor  by  conquest  can  they  allege  any  right 
to    its    possession. 

I    am,    sir,    your    obedient    servant, 

John    Hall. 
Home  Cottage,  Blackheath,  Dec.   15,   1838. 


332  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 


II 


Extract  of  a  Letter  to  the  Editor,  on  the  Subject 
of  Steam-Navigation  in  the  Pacific,  from  a  Gentle- 
man  formerly    Resident    in    One    of   the    Mexican 
Ports   on  the   Pacific 

London,  Dec.  20,  1838. 
1  HAVE  taken  some  pains  to  make  myself  acquainted  with 
the  grounds  on  which  the  "  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company  " 
is  founded,  with  its  proceedings  as  far  as  they  have  gone, 
and  its  prospects  as  far  as  I  can  comprehend  them.  Of 
this  you  may  rest  assured,  that  it  has  already  received  the 
patronage  of  the  leading  merchants  trading  to  the  Pacific, 
several  of  them  having  subscribed  with  the  expressed 
object  of  forwarding  an  undertaking  fraught  with  so  many 
public  benefits,  while  others  have  entered  more  largely 
into  it  with  the  view  of  participating  in  the  great 
profit  which  it  promises  as  an  investment.  The  general 
result  given  in  the  34th  page  of  Mr.  Wheelwright's 
pamphlet,  showing  466,950  dollars  as  the  amount  of 
annual  receipts  on  four  steamers,  costing  from  400,000 
to  450,000  dollars,  and,  against  the  same,  only  236,630 
dollars     of      annual     expenditure,      whereby     the     company     will 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  333 

realize  an  annual  profit  of  230,320  dollars,  or  (at  4-Sd. 
exchange)  ;^46,064,  is  so  extraordinarily  large  that  my 
first  impression  was  to  look  upon  the  project  as  one 
hatched  by  parties  connected  with  our  Stock  Exchange ; 
but  on  turning  to  schedules  A  and  C,  I  not  only  found 
that  the  above  results  were  verified  by  a  committee  of 
British  merchants  residing  in  Lima,  and  presided  over  by 
Her  Majesty's  consul-general  for  Peru,  but  that  a  note 
was  added,  giving  reason  to  hope  for  still  larger  profits, 
under  economical  arrangements  in  the  management  of  the 
items    of    expenditure. 

It  appears  that  this  plan,  speculative  though  it  seems, 
dates  its  rise  from  the  circular  officially  issued  by  Her 
Majesty's  consul  -  general  for  Peru,  dated  Lima,  18th 
June,  1826,  directed  to  British  merchants  and  residents 
generally,  requesting  their  attention  to  dispatches  from 
Her  Majesty's  government,  promising  facilities  to  carry 
it  into  effect,  and  requesting  their  active  co-operation. 
No  undertaking,  therefore,  could  originate  under  more 
respectable  auspices,  and,  from  inquiries  I  have  made,  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  stating  that  the  gentlemen  who  have 
taken  it  up  in  London  are  of  the  utmost  respectability,  and 
influenced    by    the    most    honorable    motives. 

The  author  of  "California"  has  not  expressed  himself 
in  favor  of  the  extension  of  this  proposed  line  from  Panama 
to  the  northern  Pacific,  further  than  as  the  reader  may 
construe  his  remarks  in  pages  315  to  320.  But  I  feel 
confident,  after  viewing  the  success  of  steam  in  the  Arabian 
Gulf  and  Red  Sea,  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  backwards 
and  forwards  to  England,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and, 
above     all,     in    so    many    safe     and     expeditious     voyages     across 


334  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

the  Atlantic,  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  either  the 
directors  of  the  present  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company, 
or  some  new  company,  will  take  up  the  northern  line. 
The  numerous  population  along  the  western  coasts  of 
Central  America  and  Mexico,  and  the  rich  products  of  the 
adjoining  provinces  in  gold,  silver,  pearls,  cochineal,  and 
indigo,  ought  to  afford  profitable  employment  for  steamers 
as  far  up  as  the  Gulf  of  California,  at  least  ;  and  were 
emigration  ever  turning  its  tide  to  California  in  the  way 
suggested  by  the  author,  from  page  320  to  the  end,  whether 
under  the  direction  of  Her  Majesty's  government,  or  of 
a  public  company,  the  aid  of  steam  could  not  fail  to  be 
required. 

Under  the  strongest  presentiment  that  these  ideas  will 
not  lie  many  years  inoperative,  I  have  made  calculations  of 
the  distances  from  Panama  to  the  principal  northern  ports, 
which  I  here  subjoin  as  not  without  .  importance  in  the 
present  inquiry.  These  calculations  do  not  pretend  to  be 
exact  to  a  mile  or  to  an  hour,  but  they  are  sufficiently  so 
for    our    purpose.       Nine    miles    are    allowed    per    hour. 

The  distances  from  Panama  to  San  Diego,  Monterey, 
San  Francisco,  Bodega,  and  Columbia  River,  are  given  in  two 
ways.  First,  by  the  line  of  coast,  via  Mazatlan  ;  and  second, 
from    Panama    direct. 


Table  of  Distances  and   Hours'   Steaming  from    PANAMA   to 
the  Following  Ports  ;    viz. 

From  Panama  to —  miles  hours 

The  Gulf  of  Nicoya 435  48 

The  Gulf  of  Papagayo 590  65.30 

Realejo 680  75.30 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  335 

From  Panama  to —  miles  hours 

Sonsonate 847  94 

Yztapa 937  104 

Socunusco      ....  1,095  121.30 

Tehuantepec 1,210  134.30 

Acapulco 1,495  166 

Navidad 1,810  201 

San  Bias 1,962  218 

Mazatlan 2,091  232 

Guaymas 2,448  272 

Rio  Gila,  where  it  joins  the  Colorado 2,793  310 

San  Diego  — 

Via  Mazatlan 3,016  335 

Direct  from  Panama 2,760  306.30 

Monterey  — 

Via  Mazatlan 3,376  375 

Direct 3,120  346.30 

San  Francisco  — 

Via  Mazatlan 3,456  384 

Direct 3,200  355.30 

Russian  settlement  at  Port  Bodega  — 

Via  Mazatlan 3,514  390.30 

Direct 3,258  362 

The  British  settlement  at  Columbia  River  — 

Via  Mazatlan 4,034  448 

Direct 3,570  385.30 

Bering's  Straits,  via  Columbia  River 5,970  663 

Woahoo,  [Oahu,]  Sandwich  Islands 4,620  513 

St.  Peter  and  Paul,  [Petropavlovsk,]  Kamchatka,  via Woahoo  7,380  820 
Jedo,    [or  Jeddo,   or  Yeddo,    (  =  Tokio),]    in    Japan,    via 

Woahoo  [Oahu] 7,950  883 

Canton,  via  Woahoo  [Oahu] 9,540  1,060 

In    the     above     table,     the    distance    to    Bering's     Straits     and 

the    ports    that    follow    is    given    to    satisfy    the    reader's  curiosity, 

and  not  with  a  view  to  any  practical  utility  in  the  way  of 
steam  -  navigation,  unless  greatly  improved  and  cheapened. 
It  is  not  impossible  that  chemists  may  discover  some  new 
power     equal     to     steam,     and     producible     at     less     expense,     or 

that     our     engineers     may     invent     some     mechanical  mode     of 


336  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

propulsion  for  vessels,  rendering  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  the 
most  direct  and  expeditious  route,  not  only  to  these  ports, 
but   to    Manila    and    the    whole    Eastern    archipelago. 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  table  that  the  British  settlement* 
on  the  Columbia  River  might  be  reached  from  Panama,  by 
steam,  in  nineteen  days,  or,  say,  about  forty  days  from  Eng- 
land. By  the  same  route,  the  important  port  of  San  Fran- 
cisco might  be  reached  in  sixteen  days  from  Panama,  or 
thirty- six  from  England,  and  the  Russian  settlement  of  La 
Bodega  in  about  six  hours  longer  time.  What  a  change 
in  our  communications,  when  the  nearest  Russian  settle- 
ment on  the  west  coast  of  America  will  be  brought  within 
thirty-six  days  and  six  hours'  steaming  from  our  own  shores ; 
when  even  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  [Petropavlovsk] ,  in  Kam- 
chatka, will  be  within  fifty  days'  steaming ;  Yedo  [Tokio], 
within  fifty- seven  ;  Canton,  within  sixty- four  ;  and  Woahoo 
[Oahu],  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  within  forty- two  days  ! 
Such  are  the  wonderful  results  that,  sooner  or  later,  may  be 
expected  from  the  mere  power  of  steam  (improved  and  cheap- 
ened, as  it  may  be,  by  fresh  discoveries),  and  the  resumption  of 
the  old  line  of  communication  between  Europe  and  the  Pacific, 
via    Chagres    and    Panama. 

I  here  use  the  word  resumption  deliberately ;  for,  from  the 
era  of  Columbus  ( 1502 )  down  to  1824,  that  line  was 
the  high  road  between  Spain  and  her  colonies  along  the 
west  coast,  not  only  for  Spanish  settlers  and  merchants,  but 
for  whole  cargoes  of  goods,  and  regiments  of  soldiers.  The 
famous  Vasco  Nunez  de  Balboa,  so  early  as  1513,  crossed  the 
isthmus,  with  troops,  from  his  settlement  of  Santa  Maria  del 
Darien,   to  the    Gulf   of    San   Miguel,   S.  E.   of   Panama;    and  the 

*  I  call  it  British,  believing  we  have  not  yet  relinquished  its  northern  hank. 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  337 

latter,   eleven   years   afterwards,  viz.,  in    1524,   had   already  become 

a  city  of  sufficient  importance  to  have  a  governor,   and  to  furnish 

to    Francisco     Pizarro,     Diego    Almagro,     and     Fernando     Luque 

the     men,     arms,     and     ships     with     which     they     proceeded     to 

the    conquest    of     Peru.       Soon    afterwards,    it    became    the    seat 

of     a    royal     "audiencia,"     and,     until     the     suppression    of     the 

Spanish     galleons,     and     the     opening     of     the     free     trade,     was 

the     grand     emporium     of     all     the     merchandise,     from     Spain, 

destined    for    the    southern    coast    of    New    Granada    and    Peru, 

and    the    northern    ports    of    Guatemala.      During    the    late    war 

of      independence      in      Peru,      several      regiments      from      Spain 

were    sent    up    the     Chagres    to     Panama,    and    from    thence    by 

transports    to    Peru ;     and    it    was    by  the    same    course    that    Cruz 

Mourgeon,     the     last    vice -king    appointed     by    Spain     for    New 

Granada,     passed     with     his     forces    in    1822.       The    history    of 

the    buccaneers     proves     that    as    early    as    the    days    of     Queen 

Elizabeth     our     own     piratical     countrymen,     and     other     lawless 

inhabitants    of    the    West    Indies,    were    quite    familiar    with    this 

route,    which    they    passed    and    repassed    at    pleasure ;     and    until 

the    trade    with    the     Pacific     by    Cape     Horn     became    open    to 

our    own    merchants,    they    supplied    the    wants    of    the    Spanish 

colonists    on    the    Pacific    coasts,    through    Jamaica,    by    the    same 

channel.         It     is     therefore     clear     that,     in     resuming     that     old 

line     of     communication     without     either     the     aid     of     railroad 

or     canal     ( though     doubtless     either     of     these     would     greatly 

facilitate    the    transport    of    passengers    and    goods),     the    Pacific 

Steam     Navigation     Company     makes     no     new     nor     dangerous 

experiment.        A      British      merchant,     then      sailing      on      board 

the    vessel    whose    course    is    given    in    the    map    attached    to    the 

present    work,    so    recently    as    1824    took    on    board,    in    Panama, 

and    carried    to    San    Bias,    a    thousand    bales    of    goods,    bought 
22  Z 


338  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

and  packed  in  Jamaica,  and  which  had  been  conveyed  across 
the  isthmus  by  the  way  indicated.  The  expenses  on  each 
bale  placed  in  Panama  were  seven  dollars  three  riales,  and 
consisted    of    the    following    items;     viz., — 

DoL.  Rial. 

Freight  on  each  bale,  from  Jamaica  to  Chagres 2  0 

Agency  at  Chagres 0  4 

Freight,  per  canoe,  from  Chagres  to  Cruces 1  5 

Duty  of  deposit,  in  Cruces 0  4 

Agency 0  2 

Mule-hire,  from  Cruces  to  Panama  (7  leagues) 2  4 

In  all 7         3 

on  each  bale  of  about  150  lbs.  weight.  The  canoes  on  the 
Chagres  are  large  enough  to  take  eighty  of  these  bales  at 
once;  have  "toldos"  (a  kind  of  awning,  made  of  cane  and 
palm-leaves,  impervious  to  the  sun  and  rain),  are  quite  safe, 
and  managed  with  great  adroitness  by  negro  watermen 
remarkable    for    their    size    and     strength. 

It  would  require  some  nicety  of  calculation  to  enable  me 
to  institute  an  exact  comparison  between  these  charges  and 
those  on  the  same  goods  carried  round  by  Cape  Horn. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  on  goods  outwards  the  latter 
would  be  the  cheapest  route  ;  but  on  lace,  fine  linens,  silks, 
and  jewelry,  the  additional  expense  could  not  be  sensibly 
felt;  and  where  the  object  is  to  be  first  in  a  market,  in  the 
time  of  war  to  save  risk,  and  at  all  times  to  save  interest  of 
money,  the  Panama  and  Chagres  route,  even  as  it  was  in  1824 
and  is  now,  must  be  the  preferable  one,  both  as  regards 
the  above  description  of  goods  outwards,  and  bullion,  specie, 
cochineal,    and    indigo    homewards. 

NoTK  TO  Page  339  [a  printed  slip  attached  thereto,  in  original  edition]. —  The  writer  regrets  that  he  mis- 
understood the  conversation  held  with  his  good  friend  Mr.  Clarke,  so  far  as  his  having  taken  goodi  with  him  from 
Jamaica  to  Panama.  His  meaning  was,  that  he  had  made  six  trits  between  Jamaica  and  Panami  with  mercantile 
objects,  but  not  that  he  took  goods  with  him,  his  house,  like  all  others  in  Jamaica,  of  pure  agency,  being  merely 
the  sellers  of  the  goods  that  the  Panama  merchants  took  across  on  their  own  account,  and  for  which  they  remitted 
in  bullion  and  specie,  without  experiencing  difficulty,  danger,  loss,  or  outrage  of  any  kind. 


IN    THE     PACIFIC  339 

Besides  the  seven  dollars  three  riales  above  mentioned,  I 
may  state  that  in  1824  the  transit  duties  levied  in  Panama 
were  three  dollars  two  riales  on  each  bale ;  but,  by  a  late 
decree  of  the  government  of  New  Granada,  all  the  transit 
duties  have  been  abolished,  so  that,  perhaps,  at  this  moment 
the  whole  charges  may  not  exceed  six  dollars  per  bale  from 
Jamaica  to  Panama.  I  lately  conversed  with  an  intelligent 
Havana  merchant,  —  D.  R.  Clarke,  Esq. ,  —  now  in  London, 
who  has  been  six  voyages  with  goods  from  Jamaica  (backwards 
and  forwards)  to  Panama.  [*]  He  never  incurred  the  smallest 
loss  or  risk,  either  from  the  river,  the  road,  the  natives,  or 
the  climate;  but,  to  avoid  delay,  he  thinks  that  a  tram-railroad,* 
either  from  the  junction  of  the  Trinidad  with  the  Chagres 
to  Panama,  or  from  Porto  Bello  to  Panama,  would  be  of  great 
use,  easily  made,  and  cheaply  supported.  Perhaps  the  former 
would  be  preferable,  on  account  of  the  dangerous  fevers  which 
prevail    in    Porto    Bello,    but    not    on    the    Chagres. 

The  above  remarks  are  made,  assuming  that  Her  Majesty's 
government  establishes  a  line  of  steamers  through  the  West 
Indies  as  far  as  to  Chagres,  and  that  the  Pacific  Steam 
Navigation  Company  take  the  passengers  and  goods  up  at 
Panama,  in  the  Pacific,  carrying  them  thence,  on  their  way 
south  and  north,  without  delay  ;  for  if  the  reader  will 
refer  to  the  map,  he  will  find  that  the  vessel  whose  course 
is  there  traced  (a  fast  sailing  schooner  of  the  class  known 
under  the  designation  of  '  clipper")  took  thirty- two  days 
in  sailing  from  Panama  to  San  Bias,  —  a  voyage  which,  by  a 
steamer  proceeding  direct,  might  be  accomplished  in  nine 
days.       A    dull    sailing    vessel    would    have    taken    perhaps    sixty 

[*See««/^,  p.  338,  for  note  printed  on  slip  inserted  in  original  edition.  —  Pub.] 
*  I   mean  a  road   with   rails,  where    the    carriages   and   wagons   are   dragged 
by  horses  and   mules,  both  of   which  abound  and   are   cheap  in  the  isthmus. 

Z  2 


340  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

days  or  more  to  perform  the  same  voyage,  from  the  extreme 
difficulty  of  sailing  out  to  the  westward  from  Panama  Bay, 
in  consequence  of  calms,  alternating  with  squalls  from  all 
directions,  and  the  struggle  she  would  have  to  maintain,  in 
proceeding  along  the  coasts  of  Central  America  and  Mexico, 
against  opposing  winds  and  currents.  The  same  "clipper" 
(though  to  go  eleven  and  eleven  and  a  half  knots  per  hour 
was  not  unusual  with  her)  took  twelve  days  on  her  voyage 
from  Valparaiso,  in  sailing  from  the  equator  to  Panama. 
I  mention  these  apparently  uninteresting  minutiae  to  establish 
the  important  fact,  that  even  were  such  a  canal  made  as  the 
author  of  "California"  recommends  (page  319),  without 
steamers  ready  at  Panama  (as  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation 
Company  proposes  to  have  them)  to  carry  on,  at  once,  goods 
and  passengers  northwards  and  southwards,  little  advantage 
would  be  gained  as  regards  ports  to  the  southward  of  Payta, 
or  northward  of  Manzanilla,  on  the  coast  of  Mexico.  The 
saving  of  time  would  not  be  very  great,  and  the  expense, 
allowing  for  tolls  on  the  canal,  would,  I  fear,  not  be  much 
less    than    by    the    voyage    round    Cape    Horn. 

I  do  not  think  that  steamers  from  Panama  northwards  would 
pay  the  ovi^ners  farther  than  San  Bias  or  Mazatlan.  Were, 
indeed,  the  tide  of  emigration  setting  strongly  to  California 
or  the  settlements  on  the  Columbia  River,  occasional  trips 
might  be  made,  so  far,  profitably;  but  as  for  Woahoo  [Oahu], 
Jeddo  \_or  Yeddo=Tokio],  Canton,  and  other  places  named 
in  the  calculations  above  given,  steamers  from  Panama  to 
them  will  never  pay,  until,  in  the  progress  of  discovery,  the 
expenses  of  steamers  are  brought  down  more  nearly  to  a 
level  with  those  of  sailing  vessels.  If  ever  this  desirable 
event    be    realized,    the    ideas    here    thrown    out    will    assume    a 


IN    THE     PACIFIC  341 

"practical  importance,  and  it  will  behoove  Great  Britain,  as 
queen  of  the  sea,  to  maintain  by  steam  the  same  naval  character 
which  she  has  earned  by  canvas.  The  Isthmus  of  Panama 
will    then    become    a    point    of    very    great    importance. 

The  author  of  California  (page  317)  hints  the  possibility 
that  the  isthmus  might  be  ceded  to  some  European  state.  If 
it  ever  should  be  so  ceded,  the  nation  holding  it  will  acquire 
an  immense  influence  and  power  over  the  communications 
of  the  world  (supposing  the  above  improvements  in  steam), 
with  a  territory  well  wooded,  well  watered,  fertile  in  the 
extreme,  rich  in  gold  and  pearl-fisheries,  capable  of  supporting 
a  numerous  population,  and  not,  by  any  means,  generally 
unhealthy  ;  while  the  inhabitants  will  acquire  that  wealth 
and  prosperity  which  the  advantages  of  their  situation 
secure  to  them.  But,  even  allowing  —  as  is  most  probable  — 
that  New  Granada  will  continue  to  retain  its  sovereignty 
over  the  isthmus,  there  is  nothin'g  in  the  history  or 
character  of  that  republic  which  can  justify  our  fears  that 
it  will  not  religiously  maintain  its  stipulations  in  favor  of 
the  route  across  to  Panama.  Of  all  the  South  American 
republics.  New  Granada  has  shown  the  greatest  respect  to 
public  faith ;  and  the  Hurtados,  the  Arossamenas,  the  Gomezes, 
the  Quezadas,  the  Paredeses,  and  other  respectable  inhabitants 
of  Panama,  are  too  much  alive  to  the  continuance  and 
improvement  of  the  old  overland  intercourse,  whereby  their 
city  has  flourished,  not  to  protest  against  any  injurious 
imposts  or  prejudicial  interference.  I  believe  that,  hitherto, 
no  passenger,  nor  merchant  traveling  across  to  Panama, 
can  justly  complain  of  any  outrage,  either  to  his  person 
or  property,  from  either  the  local  authorities  or  from 
individuals.        They    are    all    aware     that     nothing     short    of    the 


342  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

resumption  of  the  old  line  of  communication  between  Europe 
and  the  Pacific  can  restore  their  former  prosperity  and  develop 
the  latent  resources  of  their  beautiful  country,  and  they  are 
prepared  to  make  every  exertion  to  secure  so  desirable  an 
object. 

Had  the  line  of  steamers  above  suggested  been  now  in 
operation,  it  is  obvious  that  the  present  French  blockade  of 
the  Atlantic  ports  of  Mexico  could  have  been  counteracted 
by  sending  the  cargoes  of  vessels  warned  off,  to  Chagres, 
across  to  Panama,  and  thence  to  the  Mexican  ports  of  the 
Pacific. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  state  that  1  understand  proposals  for 
steam- navigation  on  the  Atlantic  ports  have  been  submitted 
to  the  Mexican  government  by  a  firm  of  great  standing  in 
that  country  and  in  London,  and  that  a  favorable  answer  is 
expected    by    the    first    packet. 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  343 


III 

EXTRACTS 


I 

PANAMA   and  the   PACIFIC.       A   Memorandum    Sent   to   the 
Foreign    Office,    on   the   Advantage   of  Using   the   Isthmus   of 
Panama  as  a  More    Rapid    Means  of  Communication    between 
Europe   and   the   Ports   of  the   Pacific    Ocean.       By   the   Hon. 
P.   Campbell  Scarlett 

In  passing,  within  the  last  few  months,  down  the  coast  of  South 
America,  on  the  Pacific  side,  from  Valparaiso,  through  Lima,  to 
Payta,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Guayaquil,  and  to  Panama,  and 
from  thence  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  across  the  Isthmus  of  Darien, 
I  had  occasion  to  observe  the  truth  of  representations  frequently  made 
to  me  by  British  merchants  in  those  settlements,  how  much  shorter 
and  more  certain  might  be  the  communication  of  intelligence  from 
those  places  to  England  by  that  route,  than  by  the  passage  round 
Cape  Horn.  That  passage,  in  merchant  vessels,  to  and  from  England 
direct,  averages  — 

Days 

For  Valparaiso 100 

Lima 110 

Guayaquil 120 

—  a  length  of  time  which  is  not  only  inconvenient  for  commercial 
objects,  but  which,  in  some  degree,  cuts  off  the  British  settler 
from  correspondence  with  his  friends  and  family,  and  unnecessarily 


344  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

prolongs  the  period  of  receiving  such  intelligence  as  the  British 
consuls  in  those  quarters  niay  find  it  expedient  to  convey  to  the 
government,  whereas  the  passage  by  Panama  might  with  ease  be 
effected  in  the  following  periods  :  — 

Days 

From  Valparaiso 62 

Lima 51 

Guayaquil .-46 

as  the  following  details  will  show  :  — 

From  Valparaiso  to  Lima 11 

Lima  to  Payta  or  Guayaquil 5 

Payta  to  Panama 10 

Across  the  isthmus 1 

Thence  to  England,  touching  at  one  of  the  Windward  Islands 35 

Making,  in  the  whole 62* 

Taking  Lima  as  a  central  position,  by  this  calculation  it  appears 
that  the  difference  of  time  in  conveying  correspondence  from  the 
western  coast  of  South  America  to  England  may  be  thus  stated :  — 

Days 

From  Lima,  by  Cape  Horn 110 

Lima,  by  Panama 51 

Difference  of  time  in  favor  of  the  route  by  the  West  Indies     .     .        59 


The  passage  from  Panama  to  Chagres  is  perfectly  easy,  being 
only  twenty-one  miles  by  land,  and  the  remainder  by  a  river  safe 
and  navigable  for  boats  and  canoes.  This  was  the  route  by  which 
the  several  towns  and  provinces  on  the  Pacific  Ocean  made  their 
communications  with  Europe  before  the  separation  of  the  colonies 
from  Spain ;  but  the  frequent  revolutions  which  have  taken  place  in 
South  America,  and  the  consequent  poverty  and  want  of  enterprise 
in  the  Spanish  part  of  the  population,  seem  to  have  put  a  stop  to  the 
regular  and  periodical  communications  between  these  places,  which 
were  formerly  established  by  public  authority. 

*  This  is  unnecessarily  long.  The  journey,  by  way  of  the  isthmus,  has  been 
accomplished,  from  Lima  to  Liverpool,  in  46  days. 


IN    THE     PACIFIC  345 

This  communication  might  be  very  easily  effected  by  the  addition 
of  a  few  small,  fast-sailing  vessels  of  war,  or  steamers,  which  should 
make  periodical  visits  to  the  towns  I  have  mentioned. 

The  advantage  of  a  direct  communication  between  Panama  and 
the  West  Indies  has  already  been  felt  and  obtained  by  the  practice 
of  the  admiral  on  the  West  India  station,  who  is  accustomed  to 
dispatch  a  sailing  vessel  of  war,  at  stated  periods,  to  Chagres,  in 
order  to  bring  official  and  other  correspondence,  as  well  as  specie, 
from  the  Pacific  coast  of  South  America. 

I  am  the  more  induced  to  make  these  representations,  from  a 
conversation  I  had  with  Commodore  Mason,  in  which  he  expressed 
his  concern  that  he  had  not  adequate  force  under  his  control  to  give 
protection  to  British  commerce  on  the  South  American  shore  of  the 
Pacific,  and  his  confidence  in  the  opinion,  which  has  been  much 
confirmed  by  my  own  observation,  as  well  as  by  the  report  of  others, 
more  competent  than  myself,  that  such  commerce  has  a  tendency  to 
increase  if  duly  protected,  and  that  if  vessels  of  war  were  more  fre- 
quently enabled  to  visit  the  various  ports  on  the  coast  from  Valparaiso 
to  Panama,  better  security  would  be  afforded  to  the  British  merchants 
against  the  revolutions,  to  which  the  property  of  all  persons  resident 
on  those  shores  is  so  often  exposed,  from  the  feebleness  of  the  gov- 
ernments, and  the  successive  changes  which  are  the  consequence  of 
that  weakness. 

The  establishment  of  steamboats  would  render  the  return  of 
correspondence,  against  the  prevailing  southerly  winds,  of  equal 
rapidity.  The  trade-winds  are  not  violent  in  that  sea,  and  men-of- 
war,  in  particular,  have  generally  made  passages  down  the  coast 
with  great  dispatch.  However,  the  introduction  of  steam-navigation 
in  the  West  Indies  having  already  shown  that  merchant  sailing  vessels 
are  disposed  to  carry  sufficient  coal  in  ballast  for  the  supply  of  fuel, 
it  is  equally  obvious  that  the  same  facilities  might  be  afforded  to 
carry  out  coal  to  the  Pacific  coast  until  such  time  as,  from  its  raised 
value  and  the  increased  demand  for  it,  the  inhabitants  of  those  regions 
may  think  it  worth  their  while  to  work  the  veins  of  coal  which  are 
well  known  to  exist  at  various  places  on  the  western  coast.* 

London,  Sept.  6,  1835. 
*  [Scarlett:]  South  America  and  the  Pacific.     London,  1838.     Vol.  ii,  p.  281. 


346  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 


II 

Extract  from   "Statements   and    Documents    Relative   to   the 

Establishment    of   Steam  -  Navigation    in    the    Pacific."      By 

William  Wheelwright,  Esq. 

The  establishment  of  steam -navigation  along  the  shores  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  in  connection  vv^ith  the  passage  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  to  the  Atlantic,  has  long  excited  much  interest,  and  this 
has  been  more  strongly  manifested  as  the  commerce  and  intercourse 
with  those  countries  have  increased. 

In  consequence  of  instructions  from  the  British  government, 
addressed  to  the  British  consuls-general  in  Chile  and  Peru,  directing 
them  to  inquire  into  the  best  means  of  establishing  a  communication 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  western  coasts  of  South  America, 
by  way  of  the  isthmus,  public  meetings  of  the  British  and  foreign 
merchants  were  convened  for  this  object.  At  these  meetings  in 
Chile  and  Peru,  the  consuls-general  presided,  and  committees  were 
appointed  to  examine  my  plans  and  statements,  which,  after  the 
fullest  investigation,  were  unanimously  approved  of,  and  sanctioned 
at  subsequent  general  meetings. 

The  subject  of  steam -navigation  in  the  Pacific  has  occupied 
my  attention  for  the  last  four  years ;  and  that  I  have  carefully 
considered  it,  the  extent  and  minuteness  of  my  calculations  will,  I 
trust,  prove.  The  feasibility  of  the  proposed  plan,  and  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  facts  upon  which  I  have  based  my  expectations  of 
success,  have  been  established  by  the  reports  of  the  committees 
appointed  to  inquire  into  them  ;  and  large  as  the  anticipated  profits 
of  this  undertaking  may  appear  to  those  not  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  local  peculiarities  of  the  Pacific  states,  I  will  nevertheless 
assume  that  the  correctness  of  my  statements  will  be  generally 
admitted,  supported  as  they  are  by  the  evidence  of  disinterested  par- 
ties, whose  probity,  as  well  as  practical  knowledge  of  the  subject,  is 
the  best  assurance  that  my  data  have  been  fully  and  fairly  examined. 

Her  Majesty's  government,  considering  the  advantages  that 
must  accrue  to  the  trade  of  this  country  with  the  Pacific,  and 
to  commerce  in  general,  by  the  establishment  of  a  more  prompt 
communication,  has  deemed  the  undertaking  entitled  to  its  support, 
and   conferred   on  the    Pacific   Steam   Navigation   Company  a   royal 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  347 

charter ;  and  as  these  advantages  will  be  common  to  all  nations, 
it  is  only  reasonable  to  look  for  the  friendly  disposition  of  other 
governments. 

The  governments  of  the  Pacific  states,  equally  impressed  with 
the  benefits  that  must  result  from  the  establishment  of  a  rapid 
communication  along  their  shores,  as  tending  to  increase  their 
commerce  and  improve  the  political  and  moral  condition  of  society, 
have  materially  assisted  in  furthering  this  object  by  granting  to  the 
undertaking,  for  a  term  of  years,  exclusive  and  valuable  privileges 
for  the  navigation  of  their  coasts. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  prospectus  that  Her  Majesty's  government 
has  determined  on  the  early  establishment  of  steam-packets  to  the 
West  Indies,  which,  with  the  co-operation  of  steam-navigation  in 
the  Pacific,  will  reduce  the  communication  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  coasts  of  Peru  and  Chile  from  a  period  of  four  months  to 
one  of  thirty  or  forty  days. 

This  accelerated  and  easy  communication  must  naturally  tend  to 
an  increased  intercourse  and  a  more  extended  trade  with  the  west 
coast  of  South  America.  The  uncertainty  and  fluctuations  which 
at  present  attend  all  mercantile  operations  with  those  now  distant 
markets  will,  in  a  great  degree,  be  obviated  by  the  means  of  trans- 
mitting frequent  and  regular  advice,  while  the  returns  for  shipments 
will  be  available  three  or  four  months  earlier  than  they  are  under 
present  circumstances. 

Specie  and  bullion  are  constantly  remitted,  and  that  with  ease 
and  security,  by  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  The  means  of  transporting 
goods  are  likewise  abundant,  and  the  whole  have  been  exempted 
from  transit  duty  by  a  late  decree  of  the  congress  of  New  Granada. 
The  directors,  being  satisfied  that  whatever  tends  to  facilitate  the 
commerce  of  the  west  coast  must  materially  benefit  the  company, 
have  in  contemplation  a  plan  for  insuring  all  property  shipped  in 
their  vessels,  if  it  be  desired,  by  which  means  bills  of  lading  will 
at  once  become  available  and  transferable  documents.  Thus  the 
proposed  undertaking  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  merchant 
and  manufacturer  whose  commercial  operations  are  directed  to  the 
Pacific.  Their  property  will  be  placed  more  within  their  own  control, 
and  on  a  footing  of  greater  security,  while  the  facilities  extended  to 
trade  cannot  fail  to  give  it  a  new  impulse,  to  increase  its  importance, 
and  eventually  to  produce  a  greater  demand  for  British  manufactures. 


348  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

The  local  trade,  also,  would  derive  great  advantages  from  an 
accelerated  communication  between  the  several  ports  in  the  Pacific. 
Owing  to  the  present  irregularity  of  advices,  vessels  are  often  indefi- 
nitely detained  at  the  different  ports  of  the  coast ;  and  from  the 
same  cause  no  changes  in  markets  can  be  beneficially  and  mutually 
acted  upon.  By  steam,  a  regular  interchange  of  advices  would  be 
established  every  fifteen  days,  and  many  voyages  would  be  performed 
in  forty  or  fifty  hours,  which  now  occupy  twenty  or  twenty-five 
days. 

There  are  other  interests  in  South  America,  of  too  important  a 
character  to  be  lost  sight  of,  and  which  must  reap  the  benefit  of  any 
measure  that  tends  to  the  development  and  improvement  of  the  re- 
sources of  that  country.  To  the  different  states,  loans  to  the  amount 
of  millions  of  British  capital  have  been  made,  for  which  no  return 
has  been  received,  nor,  till  an  amelioration  of  their  domestic  and 
international  affairs  be  brought  about,  can  any  such  be  expected. 
One  great  cause  of  the  political  instability  of  the  South  American 
governments  is  the  absence  of  prompt  communication,  by  which  the 
efforts  of  the  executive  to  suppress  rebellion  are  constantly  frustrated. 
The  difficulties  of  journeys  by  land,  and  the  uncertainty  of  voyages 
by  sailing  vessels,  impede  that  regular  and  rapid  intercourse  which 
steam-navigation  alone  can  supply,  —  an  intercourse  essential  to  the 
well-being  and  advancement  of  those  countries.  The  effect  of  it 
would  be  to  strengthen  the  executive  authorities,  to  promote  the 
industry  of  the  people,  and  to  contribute  to  an  improved  state  of 
public  and  private  credit. 

The  accompanying  letter  of  Captain  Fitz  Roy,  of  Her  Majesty's 
navy,  corroborates  also  a  very  important  fact  as  regards  the  accel- 
erated and  easy  communication  which  can  be  effected  between  the 
Pacific  coast,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  and  the  various  islands  in 
that  ocean.  By  traversing  the  Isthmus  of  Darien,  the  long  and 
turbulent  passage  round  Cape  Horn  would  be  avoided,  and  the 
period  of  four  months,  now  occupied  in  performing  the  voyage  from 
Europe  to  those  distant  parts  of  the  world,  would  be  reduced  to 
about  sixty  or  seventy  days.  This  is  an  interesting  point  as  relates 
to  the  civilization  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  numerous  islands  of  the 
Pacific,  to  which  the  missionary  societies  have  for  a  considerable 
time  past  been  directing  much  of  their  attention.  A  tedious  and 
painful  voyage  will  be  exchanged  for  one  of  comparative  ease,  and 


IN    THE    PACIFIC  349 

the  difficulty  of  access,   which  now  so  much  obstructs  their  labors, 
will  be  greatly  diminished. 

While  the  important  and  interesting  colony  of  Australia  will  be 
so  greatly  benefited  by  the  establishment  of  steam -navigation  in 
the  Pacific,  its  influence  over  the  immediate  as  well  as  the  more 
remote  sections  of  the  British  empire  must  not  be  overlooked.  The 
island  of  Jamaica  will  once  more  become  an  entrepot  of  supplies  for 
the  northern  ports  of  the  Pacific,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  be  enabled 
to  resume  that  lucrative  trade  by  which  her  prosperity  was  formerly 
so  much  promoted. 

There  is  no  difficulty  in  crossing  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  The 
journey  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic  is  easily  effected  in  eighteen 
hours,  while  the  return  occupies  two  days.  By  the  proposed  line  of 
road  from  Panama  to  the  junction  of  the  rivers  Trinidad  and 
Chagres,  to  which  point  steamers  of  from  four  to  five  hundred  tons 
may  navigate  without  difficulty,  the  whole  journey  across  could  be 
accomplished  in  eight  or  ten  hours. 

Having,  in  the  course  of  the  preceding  observations,  endeavored 
to  prove  the  great  benefits  which  must  accrue  from  the  establishment 
of  steam-navigation  on  the  waters  of  the  Pacific,  I  have  now  to 
show  that  the  means  and  facilities  for  carrying  it  into  operation 
are  amply  sufficient. 

Coal  exists  in,  Chile  in  great  abundance,  and  is  obtainable  at  a 
very  cheap  rate  ;  it  may  also  be  had  from  England  at  a  moderate 
price  ;  while  the  nature  of  the  trade  between  the  west  coast  and 
Australia  would  insure  an  abundant  and  cheap  supply  from  that 
colony  in  case  of  need. 

The  increasing  trade  of  England  with  the  west  coast  is  the  best 
proof  of  the  security  which  is  there  afforded  to  commerce.  If  the 
merchant  and  manufacturer  whose  goods  are  often  deposited  for 
lengthened  periods  in  the  public  custom-houses,  and  frequently  sent 
to  the  interior  on  long  credits,  enjoy  a  security  which  enables  them 
to  repeat  and  gradually  to  increase  their  shipments,  how  much 
greater  security  will  be  afforded  to  the  company,  whose  vessels  will 
sail  under  the  British  flag,  be  under  the  protection  of  a  British 
squadron,  and  possess  the  special  guaranty  of  the  separate  local 
governments. 

The  means  of  repairing  vessels  are  abundant.  Guayaquil  is  an 
excellent  arsenal,  and  particularly  favorable  for  the  repair  of  steam- 


350  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

vessels,  while  some  of  the  ports  of  Chile  offer,  in  this  respect,  almost 
equal  advantages. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  be  allowed  to  state  that  a  broader  or  more 
promising  field  for  steam  operations  than  that  which  the  Pacific 
affords  does  not  exist  in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  prevailing  south 
winds,  the  calms,  and  the  currents  of  that  ocean  render  navigation 
by  sailing  vessels  tedious  and  uncertain  in  the  extreme,  while 
the  nature  of  the  whole  country,  from  Valparaiso  to  Guayaquil, — 
presenting  a  succession  of  mountains  and  deep  ravines  intersected  by 
sandy  deserts,  —  offers  every  imaginable  obstacle  to  land-traveling ; 
and  yet  there  are  four  millions  of  inhabitants,  within  the  proposed 
line  of  intercourse,  ready  to  participate,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
in  the  benefits  to  arise  from  the  proposed  undertaking. 

Nature  thus  seems  to  have  intended  for  steam-navigation  that 
great  line  of  coast,  the  physical  difficulties  of  which  oppose  an  almost 
insurmountable  barrier  to  any  other  mode  of  prompt  communication. 

William  Wheelwright. 

London,  Oct.  22,  1838. 


Letter  fro?n  Captain  Fitz  Roy,   Referred  to  in  the  Preceding 

Observations 

31,  Chester  Street,  Oct.  1,  1838. 

Dear  Sir,  —  In  answer  to  the  questions  contained  in  your  letter  of 
the  25th  of  September,  I  send  the  following  brief  remarks. 

With  respect  to  the  general  project,  I  have  no  doubt  whatever 
of  its  utility,  or  of  the  facility  with  which  it  may  be  carried  into 
execution. 

The  principal  advantages  which  it  holds  out  to  the  public  are, 
a  very  important  saving  of  time  in  communicating  with  Peru  and 
Chile,  together  with  a  regularity  of  intercourse,  which  cannot  fail  to 
cause  a  vast  augmentation  of  trade,  as  well  as  a  material  improvement 
in  the  state  of  those  countries. 

Among  the  facilities  offered  for  its  successful  accomplishment  are, 
a  sufficient  supply  of  fuel,  smooth  sea,  a  regular  trade-wind,  and  a 
great  number  of  safe  ports  extremely  easy  of  access. 


IN    THE     PACIFIC  351 

So  far  as  I  am  competent  to  give  an  opinion  of  your  statements 
relative  to  the  intercourse  which  might  be  effected  between  Great 
Britain  and  Australia  by  a  western  route,  I  agree  fully  to  what  you 
have  stated.  Indeed,  I  cannot  help  expressing  my  admiration  of  the 
patience  and  candor  by  which  you  seem  to  have  been  actuated 
during  the  four  years  you  have  devoted  to  the  preparations  for  this 
great  undertaking. 

In  my  own  mind,  there  is  no  doubt  whatever  of  the  existence  of 
coal  in  abundance  at  various  places  on  the  western  coasts  of  South 
America,  and  that  its  quality  is  sufficiently  good  to  make  it  available 
for  steam-vessels. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
Dear  sir. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Robert  Pitz  Roy. 
William  Wheelwright,  Esg.,  London, 


III 


Extract  from  the  Prospectus  of  the  ' '  Pacific  Steam  Navigation 
Company,"  to  be  Incorporated  by  Royal  Charter.  Capital, 
;^250,000,  in  5,000  Shares  of  £^^  Each.     Issued  November  5, 

1838 

The  object  of  this  company  is  to  establish  steam-navigation  along 
the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  from  Valparaiso  to  Panama,  embracing 
all  the  principal  ports  in  Chile,  Bolivia,  Peru,  Ecuador,  and  the 
west  coast  of  New  Granada,  and,  in  conjunction  with  Her  Majesty's 
packets  in  the  Atlantic,  to  promote  a  more  rapid  and  regular  commu- 
nication with  Europe  by  the  Isthmus  of  Darien. 

The  undertaking  was  projected  by  Mr.  Wheelwright,  and  sanc- 
tioned at  public  meetings  of  the  British  and  foreign  merchants  in 
Chile  and  Peru,  convened  and  presided  over  by  Her  Majesty's 
consuls-general  at  the  express  desire  of  Her  Majesty's  government, 
to  consider  the  best  means  of  establishing  a  direct  communication 
between  England  and  the  Pacific.     The  statements  and  calculations 


352  ON    STEAM-NAVIGATION 

of  Mr.  Wheelwright,  exhibiting  the  most  satisfactory  pecuniary 
results,  underwent  a  most  minute  and  searching  investigation  by 
committees  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  at  a  subsequent  general 
meeting  they  were  unanimously  approved  of.  Mr.  Wheelwright  has 
obtained  decrees  from  the  governments  of  Chile,  Bolivia,  and  Peru, 
securing  to  him  and  his  assigns  the  exclusive  navigation  of  the  coasts 
by  steam,  with  all  necessary  immunities  and  privileges  (including  an 
exemption  from  port  dues),  for  the  period  of  ten  years.  These 
decrees,  and  the  powers  conferred  thereby,  have  become  the  property 
of  the  company.  Her  Majesty's  government  also,  actuated  by 
a  sense  of  the  benefits  which  will  be  conferred  by  this  undertaking 
upon  British  commerce,  has  consented  to  grant  the  company  a  royal 
charter,  by  which  alone  the  important  objects  of  the  company  can  be 
effectually  attained. 

Although  the  nominal  capital  for  this  undertaking  is  stated  at 
;^250,000,  it  is  calculated  that  less  than  one  half  of  this  amount  will 
be  sufficient  to  carry  into  full  effect  the  operations  of  the  company, 

Mr.  Wheelwright,  now  in  this  country,  will  return  to  South 
America  as  soon  as  the  necessary  arrangements  are  completed,  for 
the  purpose  of  superintending  the  company's  concerns,  in  conjunction 
with  such  mercantile  firms  as  may  be  appointed  to  act  under  the 
control  of  the  directors. 

W.    P.    Robertson,   Secretary. 

London. 


[Imprint,  Original  Edition] 

Cticijestter :   Printed  by  William  Hayley  Mason 


INDEX 


23  353 


EXPLANATORY  of  the  INDEX 

The  intelligent  reader  will  require  but  little  explanation  to  get  the  best  results  from 
the  following  index.  Perhaps  the  principal  matter  to  which  attention  should  be 
called  is  the  names  of  the  missions,  which  are  grouped  together  therein  in  alpha- 
betical order,  with  the  Spanish  word  Misibn  preceding  each  name  {•vide  post,  pp. 
364-365).  As  said  in  the  Publisher's  Foreword  to  this  new  edition,  Forbes  did 
not,  in  the  text,  mention  each  and  every  mission;  hence,  for  lists  of  the  missions, 
the  tables  on  pages  201,  202,  259-260,  265-266,  must  be  referred  to. 

The  reader  will  note,  after  finding  the  desired  entry,  and  upon  referring  to  the 
text-page,  that  sometimes  more  is  stated  in  the  index  than  is  warranted  by  the  text. 
Thus  after  the  name  of  a  padre,"  S.J."or"  O.F."  will  be  found  after  such  name. 
These  indicate  the  order  of  the  padre, — Jesuit  or  Franciscan, —  and  are  helpful  in 
other  ways.     This  given  instance  should  show  the  purpose  of  the  others. 

Sometimes  the  entry  may  seem  like  that  in  an  index-digest.  Thus  in  the  entry 
"  California,  Upper,"  p.  357,  it  is  stated  that  Drake  was  on  the  coast  in  1579,  and 
Gali  in  1584,  while  the  text-page  gives  these  dates  as  1578  and  1582,  respectively. 
The  best  authorities,  although  their  pages  indicate  that  they  have  "troubles  of  their 
own,"  are  agreed  on  these  dates  as  given  in  this  index.  The  other  matters  "read 
into"  the  index  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  apparent  to  the  reader. 

The  index  to  a  book  is  not  generally  so  accurate  as  the  text,  and  notwithstand- 
ing what  has  previously  been  said,  all  presumptions  should  favor  the  text.  It  must 
be  remembered  always  that  the  text  of  this  new  edition  is  not  edited,  the  principal 
changes  made  being  in  the  emendation  of  proper  names,  of  orthography  generally, 
of  the  division  of  words,  of  matters  typographical,  the  last  mentioned  covering  an 
infinitude  of  detail  making  for  the  "finish"  of  the  printed  page  without  mutilating 
the  text. 

354 


INDEX 


AcAPULCO,  pearl-fishery  near,  65. 

Acosta,  Jose  de,  cited,  pearls  imported 
into  Seville,  65. 

Adobes,  unbumt  bricks,  203.  See  also 
Presidios. 

Agriculture,  backward  and  unprogress- 
ive,  chiefly  in  hands  of  padres,  246  5 
Indian  com,  wheat,  barley,  frijoles, 
chiefly  cultivated,  247;  plowing,  and 
peculiar  mode  of  yoking  oxen,  248- 
252;  sowing  etc.  of  cereals,  253  etseq. 
See  also  Cattle,  Grain,  Oxen,  Pota- 
toes, Vegetables,  etc. 

Alaman,  Lucas,  Mexican  Secretary  of 
Relations,  favorable  to  missions,  138. 

Alcabala  (excise;  duty  on  all  sales). 
See  Customs  Duties. 

American  hunters,  traders,  trappers,  etc. , 
daring  of,  and  compared  with  Hispano- 
Californians,  155.  See  also  United 
States. 

American  merchants  in  Spanish  Amer- 
ica open  trade  with  California  after 
Mexican  revolution,  282  ;  export 
cattle  from  California  to  Hawaiian 
Islands,  283.     See  also  Commerce. 

Amole,  a  root  eaten  by  the  Indians,  a 
variety  of  which  is  saponaceous,  189. 

Anza,  Juan  Bautista,  comandante  at  Tu- 
bac,  Sonora,  leaves  there  in  command 
of  expedition  to  establish  communica- 
tion by  land  witli  Upper  California,  ar- 
rives at  Monterey,  114;  meets  Serra 
later  while  pursuing  his  object,  reports 
feasibility  thereof ,  and  informs  him  of 
privations  at  Monterey,  115.  See  also 
Bucareli. 

Argali  (a  wild  goat),  9.  See  also  Be- 
rendo. 

Arteaga,  Ignacio,  commands  expedition 
supposed  to  be  to  discover  passage  to 
North  Atlantic,  accomplishes   little. 


and,  ignorantly  dreading  the  equinox, 
heads  for  port  of  San  Francisco,  117- 
119.     See  also  Perez,  Princesa. 

Asia,  how  islands  of  Pacific  could  have 
been  peopled  from,  301.  See  also 
Panama. 

Asses.     See  Cattle. 

Atole,  cooked  Indian  corn,  a  food  of 
the  mission  Indians,  57. 

Atondo  (or  Otondo)  y  Antillon,  Isidro, 
with  padres,  attempts  settlement  of 
Lower  California,  12,  13.  See  also 
Kino. 

Balsa  (a  rude  Indian  raft  of  tule),  191. 

Basaldua,  Juan  Manuel,  S.  J.,  in  charge 
of  mission  of  San  Francisco  Xavier  at 
time  of  Indian  uprising,  38. 

Basketry,  Indian,  192. 

Beans,  frijoles,  universally  eaten,  how 
cooked,  247.     See  also  Grain. 

Beechey,  Frederick  William,  visits  Cali- 
fornia in  1826,  1827,  80,  135;  his 
Voyage  to  the  Pacific  cited  passim; 
liberation  of  the  Indians  at  the  mis- 
sions, and  effect  of,  135,  136;  tem- 
perature of  San  Francisco,  165;  sea 
and  shell  fish,  179;  stature  of  Alche- 
domas  and  Tulareiios,  181;  skill  of 
Indians  in  imitating  deer,  and  in 
catching  water-fowl,  193;  temescal, 
or  hot-air  bath,  197;  how  Indians 
inveigled  or  forced  into  missions,  215, 
216;  religious  tuition  by  blind  In- 
dian at  mission,  216,  217. 

Berendo,  or  taye,  argali  {Outs  pygargus 
of  Cuvier),  9,  91,  175. 

Bestias,  degrading  epithet  applied  to 
wild  Indians,  185.  See  also  Gente  de 
raz,6n. 

Bezerra  de  Mendoza,  Diego,  accompa- 
nies Grijalva  in  expedition  fitted  out 


355 


356 


INDEX 


by  Cortes,  and  is  killed  in  mutiny,  7. 
See  also  Ximenez. 

Bodega,  La,  Russian  settlement  at,  1 ; 
sterility  of  that  part  of  California,  270; 
dairy  products  of  Russians  at,  271 ; 
British  ship  at,  270,  327;  hospitality 
of  Russians  at,  327;  harbor  described, 
and  sailing  directions,  327,  328,  330; 
settlement  regarded  as  intrusive  within 
the  boundaries  of  Mexico,  331. 

Bodega  y  Quadra,  Juan  Francisco,  com- 
mander of  the  schooner  (Sonora)  ac- 
companying the  Santiago  on  her  second 
northern  voyage,  116.    See  also  Perez. 

Bows  and  arrows,  Indian,  18;  neatly 
wrought,  bows  of  good  shape,  and 
arrows  with  points  of  obsidian  or  flint, 
192.     See  also  Beechey,  Indians. 

Branciforte,  pueblo  or  town  of,  popula- 
tion of,  202;  location,  inhabitants, 
government,  etc.,  208.  See  also  Cat- 
tle, Grain. 

Brick-making  (adobe),  33. 

Bucareli  y  Ursiia,  Antonio  Maria,  Vice- 
roy of  Mexico,  resolves  to  abandon 
port  of  San  Bias,  but  dissuaded  by 
Serra,  113;  orders  completion  of 
frigate  there  (the  San  Antonio),  to 
explore  coast  of  Upper  California,  and 
orders  packet-boat  (the  San  Carlos), 
with  supplies  for  the  missions,  sent  to 
Monterey,  113;  orders  expedition 
under  Anza,  comandante  at  Tubac, 
to  proceed  by  the  Gila  and  Colorado 
to  establish  communication  by  land, 
114;  orders  frigate  Princesa  built  at 
San  Bias,  and  purchases  the  Favorita, 
for  another  expedition  by  sea,  117. 

Bucareli,  Strait  of,  discovered  by  Arte- 
aga,  117.    See  also  Princesa. 

Building  material,  stone,  slabs,  brick- 
clay,  173.     See  also  Adobes. 

Bustamante,  Anastasio,  President  of 
Mexico,  favorably  disposed  toward 
missions  in  California,  138. 

Butter  and  cheese,  peculiar  Spanish  and 
Hispano-Californian  methods  and  re- 
sults in  making,  and  supposed  origin 
thereof,  266-271.  See  also  Dairy, 
Russians. 


Cabrillo,  Juan  RodrIguez,  explores 
coast  of  California  in  1542-43,  9,  10; 
discovers  Upper  California  in  1542,  79. 

Caledonian  Canal,  an  undertaking  not 
inferior  to  that  involved  at  Panama, 
and  its  plan  of  construction  recom- 
mended, 320. 

"California,"  name,  formerly  applied 
exclusively  to  Old  or  Lower  (or  An- 
tigua or  Baja)  California,  2. 

California,  Lower,  1-3 ;  discovery  of,  by 
Ximenez,  in  1534,  in  Grijalva  and  Be- 
zerra  expedition,  7;  barrenness  of,  8 
et  seq. ;  expeditions  for  purposes  of 
discovery  or  exploration  by  Cortes, 
Cabrillo,  Iturbi,  UUoa,  Vizcaino,  7  et 
seq. ;  attempted  settlements  at  and 
voyages  to  by  Atondo,  Carboneli, 
Casanate,  Itamarra,  Lucenilla,  Ortega, 
Pinadero,  and  Vizcaino,  9  et  seq. ; 
belief  of  riches  in  gold  and  pearls  in, 
11;  expeditions  to,  not  principally  to 
acquire  wealth,  but  to  convert  the 
Indians,  11;  barrenness  of,  repulses 
attempts  at  settlement,  12  et  passim; 
spiritual  conquest  of,  undertaken  by 
the  Jesuits,  13;  Kino  the  presiding  ge- 
nius of  the  plan,  12  et  seq. ;  Salvatierra 
arrives  in,  and  takes  possession  of  the 
country,  16;  the  Indians  as  found  by 
the  padres,  their  tribes,  and  where 
located,  their  languages,  etc.,  17  et 
seq. ;  physical  features  of  the  country, 
22  et  passim;  water  scarce,  no  trees 
of  any  magnitude,  harmful  heavy 
rains,  22;  shores  of,  abound  in  great 
variety  of  fish,  23;  pearls  attract  ad- 
venturers, 23;  Salvatierra's  methods 
with  the  Indians,  who  unsuccessfully 
attack  camp,  27 ;  Padre  Piccolo  in,  28 ; 
number  of  settlers  in,  30;  progress  of 
the  Jesuits  in,  30  et  seq. ;  Padre  Juan 
Ugarte  arrives  in,  and  plans  to  make 
missions  self-supporting,  31  et  seq.; 
cattle-raising,  agriculture,  wine-mak- 
ing, woolen  manufactures,  35,  36; 
Indian  uprisings,  37  et  passim;  Salva- 
tierra's report  of  progress,  39;  Padre 
Pedro  Ugarte  and  his  energetic  ways 
with  the  Indians,  39;   diseases  among 


INDEX 


357 


Indians  and  soldiers,  42 ;  death  of  Kino, 
42;  Salvatierra  establishes  new  and 
permanent  system  of  government  for 
country,  46;  visited  by  destructive 
hurricane  and  rains,  accounting  for 
rocky  surface  of  country,  47;  ship 
built  at  Mulege,  47;  Padres  Helen 
and  Guillen  in,  48;  Padre  Luyando 
arrives,  and  with  Sistiaga  prosecutes 
work  among  the  Indians  and  in  agri- 
culture, 49,  50;  Padres  Carranca  and 
Tamaral  murdered,  50;  official  list  of 
fourteen  reoccupied  missions  in,  in 
174 5,  after  destructive  Indian  uprising, 
54;  the  Jesuits,  expelled  in  1767,  are 
superseded  by  the  Franciscans,  and 
these  by  the  Dominicans,  5  5 ;  state- 
ment of  Laperouse,  in  1786,  as  to 
number  of  missions,  soldiers,  and  In- 
dians, 55;  Humboldt's  estimated  pop- 
lation  of  9,000  considered  too  low, 
62 ;  Indian  population  diminishing,  62 ; 
condition  of  missions  and  Indians,  62; 
Loreto,the  capital,  population  300,and 
La  Paz,  with  San  Antonio,  population 
2,000,  mixed,  62;  harbor  of  Pichilin- 
gue  renders  La  Paz  a  place  of  impor- 
tance, 62;  resources  of  country  fall 
below  intrinsic  value  on  account  of  its 
bad  reputation,  arisingfrom  its  indomi- 
table barrenness,  63;  missions  retard 
progress,  63 ;  mining  for  gold  and  sil- 
ver near  San  Antonio  unimportant, 
63;  sheltered  valleys  produce  corn, 
grapes,  dates,  figs,  quinces,  peaches, 
pears,  olives,  63;  wine  and  dried 
fruit,  and  spirits  distilled  from  mescal, 
exported,  with  hides  and  dried  beef, 
cheese,  soap,  pearls,  tortoise-shell, 
63;  imports  of  provisions  and  cloth- 
ing, agricultural  implements  and  do- 
mestic utensils,  supplies  for  religious 
ceremonies,  and  a  few  luxuries,  63; 
Padre  Consag's  voyage  of  discovery, 
66;  account  of  the  pearl-fishers  and 
pearl-fisheries,  and  laws  governing 
them,  64-75.  See  also  California; 
Califomias,  The;  California,  Upper; 
Hall,  Captain  John ;  Hail,  Lieutenant ; 
Hardy,  Capt.  R.  W.  H. 


California,  Gulf  of,  a  boundary  of  The 
Califomias,  1;  called  also  the  Sea  of 
Cortes,  the  Red  Sea,  or  El  Mar  Rojo, 
8 ;  expeditions  to,  to  exploit  wealth  in 
gold  and  pearls,  and  to  convert  the 
Indians,  11  et  passim. 

Califomias,  The,  part  of  Mexican  re- 
public, and  formerly  of  New  Spain 
(  =  Nueva  Espana),  1;  boundaries  of, 

1,  2;  a  "territory"  under  Mexico,  2; 
natural  differences  between  the  two 
divisions  of,  2 ;  civil  history  different, 
2 ;  two  distinct  countries,  2 ;  the  two 
divisions  named,  respectively,  "New" 
(=Nueva,  Sp.)  and  "Old"  (=An- 
tigua,  Sp. ),  or  "Upper"  (^Alta, 
Sp. )   and  "Lower"    (  =  Baja,  Sp. ), 

2,  3 ;  when  spoken  of  conjointly,  des- 
ignated "The  Califomias,"  3;  that 
California  not  an  island  nor  an  archi- 
pelago, believed  to  have  been  estab- 
lished by  Cortes,  8;  but  Kino  (45) 
and  Juan  Ugarte  (48)  establish  fact; 
settlements  attempted,  9,  11,  12; 
Drake  visits  northern  coast  of,  and 
names  country  New  Albion,  10;  fer- 
tility of,  recognized  by  Vizcaino  and 
Drake,  10;  display  of  pearls  by  ex- 
plorers excites  desire  for  conquest  of, 
1 1 ;  spiritual  conquest  of,  undertaken 
by  the  Jesuits,  13. 

California,  Upper,  Russians  in,  1 ;  Cabri- 
llo  first  on  coast  of,  in  1 542, 79 ;  Drake 
on  coast,  in  1579,  79;  Gali  on  coast, 
in  1584, 79;  Vizcaino  on  coast, in  1603, 
79;  Beechey,  Langsdorff,  Laperouse, 
and  Vancouver  visit,  80;  Marques  de 
Croix  plans  to  settle  and  civilize,  by 
"spiritual  conquest,"  80;  Serra,with 
Franciscan  friars,  leaves  convent  of 
San  Fernando,  in  Mexico,  in  1768,  to 
undertake  the  "conquest,"  80,  81; 
Galvez,  at  La  Paz,  plans  a  sea  and  a 
land  expedition,  82;  the  San  Carlos 
sails  from  La  Paz,  the  San  Antonio 
from  San  Lucas,  the  San  Jose  from 
Loreto,  84;  Portola  appointed  gov- 
ernor of  California,  and  commands 
land  expedition,  85;  first  division  of 
land  expedition,  under  Rivera  y  Mon- 


358 


INDEX 


cada,  arrives  at  San  Diego  and  finds  the 
San  Carlos  and  San  Antonio,  the  San 
Jose  being  lost,  86;  the  second  land 
division,  under  Portola,  with  Serra, 
arrives  later,  89 ;  Portola  leaves  forport 
of  Monterey,  which  is  passed  without 
identification,butportof  San  Francisco 
discovered,  and  party  returns  to  San 
Diego,  92-94;  mission  of  San  Diego 
founded,  94;  Indian  uprising,  95;  the 
San  Antonio,  with  supplies,  failing  to 
arrive,  preparations  are  made  to  aban- 
don the  country,  100;  prayeranswered, 
supposed  miraculous  appearance  of 
the  vessel,  which  disappears,  and  ar- 
rives four  days  later,  100;  two  expe- 
ditions reach  the  port  of  Monterey, 
Serra  by  land  and  Portola  by  sea,  101 ; 
mission  of  San  Carlos  founded,  104; 
more  Franciscan  missionaries  arrive, 
after  many  hardships,  105-107;  found- 
ing of  mission  of  San  Antonio,  107; 
of  San  Gabriel,  108;  Serra  leaves  for 
Mexico,  112;  founding  of  mission  of 
San  Luis  Obispo,  113;  Viceroy  Buca- 
reli  aids  Serra  in  mission  plans,  and 
orders  dispatch  of  sea  and  land  expedi- 
tions, 113,  114;  disastrous  voyage  of 
the  San  Carlos  from  San  Bias,  by  which 
the  missions  are  nearly  starved,  113; 
Anza  sets  out  from  Tubac  to  estab- 
lish overland  route  from  Sonora,  114; 
new  frigate  Santiago  and  the  San  An- 
tonio, with  supplies,  reach  Montery, 
after  fatalities  on  way  from  San  Bias, 
Serra  leaving  the  frigate  at  San  Diego 
and  proceeding  overland,  114;  Anza 
meets  Serra,  115;  the  Santiago  leaves 
Monterey  on  voyage  of  discovery, 
and  returns  after  accomplishing  little, 
making  a  second  voyage,  this  time 
from  San  Bias,  with  a  schooner  (the 
Sonora) ,  and  returns  to  Monterey,  the 
crew  ill  with  scurvy,  115,  116;  Buca- 
reli  sends  out  a  third  expedition  (the 
frigate  Princesa  and  the  Favorita) ,  said 
to  be  to  discover  a  passage  to  North 
Atlantic, ' '  Strait  of  Bucareli ' '  named, 
new  port  found  and  named  "Santiago, ' ' 
and  expedition  stood  for  port  of  San 


Francisco,  dreading,  in  August,  the 
equinox,  117;  mission  progress,  119; 
Indian  uprising  at  San  Diego,  119  et 
seq. ;  founding  of  mission  of  San  Juan 
Capistrano,  126;  Serra,  at  Monterey, 
prepares  to  establish  mission  of  San 
Francisco,  126;  founding  of  the  pre- 
sidio and  mission  of  San  Francisco  in 
1776,  127,  128;  death  of  Serra,  129; 
management  of  the  Pious  Fund,  132; 
powers  and  duties  of  Spanish  military 
comandante,  133;  as  a  territory  under 
Mexico,  133;  representation  in  legisla- 
ture, 134;  absurd  laws,  and  rapacity  of 
government,  135 ;  some  semblance  of 
a  local  government,  135;  changes  in 
Mexican  government,  resulting  in  new 
laws  for  the  missions,  135;  Beechey's 
account  of  such  changes,  and  their 
results,  135;  old  customs  swept  away, 
and  misuse  of  the  Pious  Fund,  137; 
Figueroa  appointed  military  coman- 
dante, and  meets  disaster  on  way  to 
Monterey,  139;  Compaiiia  Cosmopol- 
itana,  and  its  ill-advised  attempt  at 
colonization  from  Mexico,  142,  143; 
colonists,  not  permitted  to  settle  on 
mission  lands,  retire  to  spot  on  Bay  of 
San  Francisco,  and  are  at  length  ban- 
ished on  account  of  their  views,  145 ; 
country  open  to  anyf  oreign  power,  147 ; 
revolution  at  Monterey  in  1835,  ex- 
pulsion of  Mexican  officials  and  troops, 
resolutions  passed  as  basis  for  provis- 
ional government,  and  Vallejo  called 
upon  to  act  as  comandante  general, 
149,  150;  impotent  fulminations  of 
Mexican  government,  150;  suggestion 
that  Mexico  transfer  sovereignty  of 
country  to  English  creditors  in  can- 
cellation of  indebtedness,  and  that  a 
company  be  formed  by  them  such  as 
the  East  India  Company,  152,  153; 
topography,  generally,  154-179;  ac- 
count of  the  country  and  its  inhabi- 
tants, from  MS.  records  of  travels  of 
Padres  Garces,  Dominguez,  and  Velez 
to  Upper  California,  157;  climate, 163, 
169,  311,  331;  rivers,  165,  166;  bays, 
166  et  seq. ;   beauty  and  fertility,  169 


INDEX 


359 


et  seq. ;  trees,  shrubs,  fruits,  and  vege- 
tables, 170  et  seq. ;  grape-vine,  wine 
and  brandy,  olive-oil,  173  5  building- 
stone,  etc.,  173;  wild  and  domestic 
animals,  wild-fowl,  song-birds,  sea  and 
shell  fish,  174-179;  Indians  of,  physi- 
cal and  moral  characteristics,  manners 
and  customs,  180-198;  life  in,  manage- 
ment and  government,  etc.,  of  the 
missions,  presidios,  pueblos  or  towns, 
199-245;  agriculture,  live-stock,  pro- 
duce, dairying,  milling,  etc.,  peculiar 
and  ancient  Spanish  methods  in  use, 
246—280;  no  foreign  commerce  in, 
under  Spanish  rule,  281;  considered 
a  colony  by  Mexico,  and  little  com- 
merce between,  281;  foreign  mer- 
chants, after  Mexican  revolution,  be- 
gin trade  with,  and  send  vessels,  282; 
American  vessels  in  Pacific  trade  re- 
sort to,  principally  for  hides  and  tallow, 
and  carry  cattle  to  Hawaiian  Islands, 
282,  283;  former  export  of  fur-skins 
dwindled  from  neglect,  284;  imports 
of  cloth,  clothing,  furniture,  agricul- 
tural implements,  etc.,  284;  no  coin 
in  circulation,  trade  in  barter,  heavy 
duties,  large  profits,  285;  hindrances 
to  commerce,  288  et  passim;  back- 
ward state  of  navigation,  restrictive 
laws  on  trade  and  shipping,  and  some 
remarkable  voyages,  289  et  seq. ;  as  a 
field  for  foreign  colonization,  309  et 
seq. ;  situation  of,  favorable  for  com- 
merce, 312;  potentialities  of,  when 
railroad  built  or  canal  cut  across  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama  and  steam-com- 
munication established,  315  et  seq. 
Califomians  (i.  e.,  those  of  Spanish  ori- 
gin ) ,  indolent  and  unenterprising,  155; 
compared  with  American  adventur- 
ers, 155;  as  possible  occupiers  of  mis- 
sion lands  on  expulsion  of  the  mission- 
aries, 209;  fine  physique  of,  210;  pas- 
toral state  congenial  to  their  situation 
and  disposition,  265 ;  peculiar  ideas  of, 
as  to  butter  and  cheese  making,  and 
management  of  cattle,  266-271;  the 
rodeo  a  holiday  and  time  of  amuse- 
ment of,  273 ;  noted  for  peaceable  and 


inoffensive  character,  322;  intermar- 
riages with  foreigners,  322. 

Cambon,  Pedro  Benito,  O.  F.,  at  found- 
ing of  San  Gabriel,  109. 

Carboneli,  Estevan,  pilot  of  Ortega,  12. 

Carranca,  Lorenzo,  S.  J.,  murdered  by 
Indians  at  San  Jose  del  Cabo,  53,  54. 

Casanate,  Pedro  Portel  de  (or  Porter  y), 
attempted  settlement  of  Lower  Cali- 
fornia by,  12. 

Castillos,  or  forts.     See  Presidios. 

Catalonian  volunteers,  company  of,  on 
San  Carlos,  with  Vila,  84. 

Cattle,  domestic  (black  cattle,  horses, 
mules,  asses,  sheep,  goats,  swine), 
number  of,  at  missions,  265,  266; 
herds  of  European,  displace  deer,  175 ; 
peculiar  management  of,  by  Califor- 
nians,  271  et  seq. ;  marketing  of,  271, 
272;  average  price  of,  280.  See  also 
Beechey,  Bodega,  LangsdorflF,  Rus- 
sians. 

Chacuaco  (a  stone  tube  used  by  Indian 
priest  or  sorcerer),  20. 

Charles  V,  Cortes  sends  pearls  to,  64. 

Cheese.     See  Butter  and  cheese ;  Dairy. 

Chocolate,  considered  indispensable  by 
Spanish  Mexicans,  115. 

Cieneguilla,  Padre  Link  at,  on  his  way  to 
the  Rio  Colorado,  88. 

Cimarron,  or  wild  tobacco,  used  by  In- 
dian sorcerers,  20. 

Colonization,  Serra's  policy  of,  carried 
out,  after  his  death,  by  his  successors, 
131 ;  attempt  by  Mexicans  to  colonize 
mission  lands,  142  et  seq. ;  Mexicans 
suspicious  of  foreign  immigrants,  148; 
inaptitude  of  Spaniards  for  coloniza- 
tion, 209;  strangers  well  received  by 
Hispano-Califomjans,  322.  See  also 
California,  Lower;  Compania  Cosmo- 
politana,  San  Francisco,  Soldiers, 

Colorado  River.     See  Rio  Colorado. 

Commerce,  not  much  foreign,  in  Cali- 
fornia, during  Spanish  rule,  281 ;  after 
revolution,  foreign  merchants  of  Chile 
and  Peru  turn  to,  282;  and  ships  of 
American  merchants  resort  to,  from 
South  America,  Hawaiian  Islands,  and 
China,  282;   exports  of  hides  and  tal- 


360 


INDEX 


low,  wheat,  wines,  raisins,  and  olives, 
282;  value  of  exports,  283;  fur  trade 
dwindled  from  neglect,  284;  internal 
commerce  insignificant,  285;  barter 
universal,  285 ;  first  adventurous  trad- 
ers benefit  from  lack  of  circulating 
medium,  285;  customs  duties,  and 
"never-ending  alcabala,"  285,  289; 
padres  barter  cattle  for  miscellaneous 
imports,  285;  oppressive  restrictions 
of  Spaniards  upon  foreign  and  coasting 
trade,  289;  and  of  Mexicans,  after 
revolution,  296  et  seq. ;  smuggling, 
insignificant  revenues,  and  dwindling 
trade,  298.  See  also  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  Langsdorff,  Laperouse, 
Missionaries,  Monterey,  Russians, 
San  Bias. 

Compania  Cosmopolitana,  formed  to 
exploit  and  colonize  mission  lands, 
142,  143;  plan  frustrated  by  Santa 
Anna,  and  settlers  expelled  from  San 
Francisco  Bay  lands,  144,  145. 

Companias  de  cueras  {cuera  =  a  leather 
jacket),  205. 

Consag,  Fernando,  S.  J.,  voyage  of,  in 
1746,  to  survey  coast,  66. 

Cook,  Captain  James,  on  Northwest 
coast  in  1778,  79. 

Cortes,  Hernando,  fits  out  Bezerra- 
Grijalva  squadron  in  1534,  7;  heads 
new  expedition  in  1535,  and  is  believed 
to  have  ascertained  that  California  is 
neither  an  island  nor  an  archipelago,  8 ; 
sends  out  further  expeditions,  8;  his 
example  stimulates  further  efforts,  13. 

Costanso,  Miguel,  engineer,  on  Monte- 
rey land  expedition  with  Portola,  93. 

Crespi,  Juan,  O.  F. ,  joins  Rivera  at  Veli- 
cata,  86 ;  at  San  Diego,  89 ;  leaves  with 
Portola  land  expedition  for  Monterey, 
92. 

Croix,  Carlos  Francisco  de  (Marques  de 
Croix),  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  plans  to 
settle  and  civilize  Upper  California  by 
"spiritual  conquest,"  80. 

Customs  duties,  Mexican,  146,285 ;  Span- 
ish, 289 ;  criticism  of  Mexican  system, 
302-306.  See  also  Alcabala,  Echean- 
dia.  Revenue. 


Dairy,  management  of,  unknovra  in  Cali- 
fornia, 266.  See  also  Bodega,  Butter 
and  cheese,  Russians. 

Diseases  and  disorders,  Indian  sorcerers' 
methods  of  curing,  20;  immunity  of 
Indians  from,  in  their  wild  state,  42 ; 
smallpox  and  fevers  break  out  among 
Indians  and  soldiers,  42. 

Diving-bell,  for  pearl-fishing,  74,  75. 

Dominguez,  Father  Francisco  Atanacio, 
MS.  account  of  journey  of,  with  Father 
Silvestre  Velez  de  Escalante,  in  1776, 
from  Santa  Fe  toward  Monterey,  158- 
162. 

Dominicans,  in  Lower  California,  after 
expulsion  of  Jesuits,  55. 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  visits  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia in  1579, 10,79;  in  old  harbor  of 
San  Francisco,  and  explores  interior, 
10;  names  country  New  Albion,  10, 
79;  not  aware  of  previous  visits  of 
Spaniards,  10;  experiences  with  the 
Indians,  11. 

East  India  Company,  formation  of 
similar  company  suggested,  should 
California  be  ceded  in  cancellation  of 
debt  to  English,  153. 

Echeandia,  Jose  Maria,  comandante  gen- 
eral, appoints  collector  and  comptroller 
of  customs  to  reside  at  San  Diego,  with 
subordinates  at  Monterey,  302. 

Faces,  Pedro,  lieutenant  of  Catalonian 
company,  leaves  San  Diego  for  Monte- 
rey with  Portola,  92. 

Farias,  Gomez.     See  Gomez  Farias. 

Faunas  (includes  land  and  amphibious 
animals,  and  those  of  sea  and  shore, 
and  the  feathered  tribes  of  land  and 
water),  91,  163,  174-179.  See  also 
Beechey,  Indians,  Langsdorff,  Lape- 
rouse. 

Favorita,  The.     See  Bucareli,  Princesa. 

Figueroa,  Jose,  Mexican  governor  of 
California,  on  voyage  from  Acapulco 
to  Monterey,  escapes  from  mutinous 
soldiers,  139. 

Fish,  shores  of  California  abound  in,  23, 
163,  179,  329.     See  also  Beechey. 


INDEX 


361 


Flax,  soil  and  climate  of  California  con- 
genial to,  263. 

Flour-niilis,  of  primitive  construction, 
described,  261. 

Font,  Pedro,  O.F.,  missing  map  of,  159. 

Foods  and  foodstuffs.  See  Amole, 
Frijol,  Pozole,  and  also  under  specific 
names  of  foodstuffs. 

Forester,  The,  British  brig,  meets  dis- 
abled Japanese  junk  off  Northwest 
coast,  299.     See  also  Japanese  junks. 

Forts,  or  castillos.     See  Presidios. 

Franciscans,  in  Lower  California,  55; 
leave  convent  of  San  Fernando  to  re- 
place the  Jesuits  in  Lower  California, 
and  to  undertake  the  "spiritual  con- 
quest" of  Upper  California,  81,  82, 
105,106;  reinforcement  from  convent 
of  Zacatecas,  their  character,  and  their 
experiences  on  voyage,  138-142.  See 
also  Missionaries,  Serra,  etc. 

Frijol,  or  small  bean,  universally  eaten 
in  Spanish  America,  how  cooked,  247. 
See  also  Grain. 

Fruits  and  fruit-trees,  apple,  171,  329 
banana,  cocoanut,  171;  fig,  51,63,171 
peach,  63,  171;  pear,  63,  171,  329 
orange,  plantain,  171 ;  plum,  171,  329 
pomegranate,  171;  quince,  63;  straw- 
berry, 188;   sugar-cane,  51,  171. 

Fur-bearing  animals,  163,  176,  284.  See 
also  California,  Upper;  Commerce, 
Langsdorff,  Laperouse. 

Fuster,  Vicente,  O.F.,  wounded  in  In- 
dian uprising  at  San  Diego,  122,  124. 


Gila  River,  44, 159.  See  also  Anza,  Rio 
Colorado. 

Goat.    SeeBerendo;  Cattle,  Domestic. 

Gold,  belief  of  riches  in,  in  California, 
11;   mines  of  little  value  exist,  63. 

Gomez  Farias,  Valentin,  Vice-President 
of  Mexico,  overruled  by  Santa  Anna 
in  colonization  scheme  of  Compaiiia 
Cosmopolitana,  144. 

Gomez,  Francisco,  O.F.,  sails  on  San 
Antonio  with  Perez,  84;  at  San  Diego, 
89;  leaves  with  Portola  for  Monte- 
rey, 92. 

Grain  (wheat,  maize  or  Indian  com, 
frijoles  or  small  beans,  barley,  beans 
and  garbanzos  and  pease),  quantity 
raised  at  missions,  etc.,  and  value 
thereof,  in  1831,  259,  261.  See  also 
Agriculture,  etc. 

Grape,  indigenous  variety,  9 1,1 72;  prop- 
agation discouraged  by  Spanish  gov- 
ernment, 277;  329,  330.  See  also 
Fitis  ^inifera,  W^ine  and  brandy. 

Great  Britain,  fears  of,  of  Russian  en- 
croachment in  California,  151;  propo- 
sition of  cession  of  California  to  cred- 
itors in,  in  cancellation  of  debt,  152. 
See  Bodega,  East  India  Company. 

Grijalva,  Hernando,  in  expedition  sent 
out  by  Cortes,  7.     See  also  Bezerra. 

Guatemala,  7,  8. 

Guaymas,  port  of  outfit  for  pearl-fishers, 
68,  72;   first  sailing  vessel  at,  295. 

Guillen,  Clemente,  S.  J.,  founder  of 
Dolores  del  Sur,  48, 


Gali,  Francisco,  visits  coast  of  Upper 
California  in  1584,  79. 

Galvez,  Jose  (Marques  de  Sonora), 
visitador-general,  arrives  at  La  Paz, 
and  plans  for  expeditions  by  land  and 
sea,  and  for  establishment  of  mis- 
sions, 82,  83.  See  also  Portola,  Ri- 
vera, Serra;  San  Antonio,  The;  San 
Carlos,  The;   San  Jose,  The. 

Garces,  Francisco,  O.  F. ,  journey  from 
Sonora  to  Upper  California  in  1775, 
157-162. 

Gente  de  razon  (rational  or  reasoning 
beings),  185, 216,217.  ^tea\soBestias. 


Hall,  Captain  John,  his  account  of  the 
pearl-fisheries,  71;  his  report  on  the 
harbors  of  California,  327  et  seq. 

Harbors  of  Upper  California.  See  Bo- 
dega, Monterey,  San  Diego,  San 
Francisco,  San  Juan,  San  Pedro,  Santa 
Barbara. 

Hardy,  Captain  R.  W.  H.,  his  report  as 
to  pearl-fishing,  71,  72,  73. 

Hardy,  Lieutenant,  director  of  pearl- 
fishing  company,  74. 

Hawaiian  Islands,  cattle  exported  from 
California  to,  283.  See  also  Com- 
merce. 


362 


INDEX 


Heceta,  Bruno,  commands  Santiago  on 
second  voyage,  116. 

Hechiceros  (Indian  sorcerers),  their 
methods  of  treating  diseases,  19,  20. 

Helen,  Everardo,  S.J.,  founds  the  mis- 
sion of  Nuestra  Senora  de  Guadalupe, 
47,  48 ;  introduced  grain  at  San  Igna- 
cio,  50. 

Hemp,  successfully  grown,  263, 

Horses,  raising  of,  at  missions,  35.  See 
also  Cattle,  Domestic;   Langsdorff. 

Hudson's  Bay  Company,  wheat  and  pro- 
visions sent  to,  at  Columbia  River,  284. 

Humboldt,  F.  H.  A.  von,  cited  passim; 
his  estimate  of  population  of  Califor- 
nia, 62;  compares  New  with  Old 
California,  171;  population  of  mis- 
sions, as  given  in  his  Essay  on  New 
Spain,  201. 

Indian  corn.     See  Grain,  Maize. 

Indians,  their  rudeness,  poverty,  and  nu- 
dity, 9;  their  pottery,  9;  peaceable  at 
La  Paz,  but  less  so  northward,  9 ;  found 
mild  and  friendly  by  Drake,  11 ;  head- 
dress, 11;  Spanish  monarchs  and  reli- 
gious orders  desirous  of  their  conver- 
sion, 11  et  seq. ;  feeble  and  weak- 
hearted,  revengeful, easily  kept  in  awe, 
17;  kidnaped  to  act  as  pearl-divers, 
18 ;  huts  of  boughs  covered  with  reeds, 
men  nude  except  for  head-ornaments, 
women  wear  reed  girdles,  live  by  hunt- 
ing and  fishing  and  on  spontaneous 
produce  of  the  soil,  no  arts  but  those 
in  making  nets  or  bows  and  arrows  or 
in  the  making  of  their  clothing  and 
ornaments,  18;  some  vessels  of  clay, 
but  chiefly  of  reed,  and  rafts  also  of 
reed  (tule),  19;  no  fixed  form  of  gov- 
ernment or  religion,  but  submission 
made,  on  occasion,  to  rule  of  one  or 
more,  19;  sorcerers  (hechiceros)  pre- 
tended to  preternatural  povyers,  and 
practiced  the  art  of  healing,  19;  tribes 
numerous,  more  or  less  stationary, 
differ  but  little  in  habits,  have  fixed 
names,  speak  different  languages  or 
different  dialects,  and  indulgt;  in  petty 
feuds,  21,  22;    their  innate  sloth,  33; 


hechiceros  incite  to  rebellion  against 
missionaries  upon  breaking  out  of  dis- 
ease, 42;  elders  of  tribes  slow  to  em- 
brace new  faith,  are  placed  on  level 
with  children  by  the  missionaries,  52; 
slaves  both  in  body  and  mind  at  the 
missions,  62 ;  their  implicit  trust  in  the 
padres,  66;  in  primitive  state,  subsist 
on  seeds  and  fish,  go  far  out  to  sea  to 
fish  in  tule  rafts,  91 ;  are  very  civil,  and 
treat  the  incoming  missionaries  with 
confidence,  91 ;  all  the  males  go  naked, 
all  the  females  decently  covered,  91; 
demoralization  follows  liberation  from 
missions  of  those  supposed  to  be  ca- 
pable of  self-support,  135,  136;  erro- 
neous supposition  of  ferocity  of  those 
in  wild  state  on  the  Rio  Colorado,  as 
none  are  very  formidable,  155;  those 
on  the  Gila  and  Colorado  in  very  low 
state,  but  cultivate  corn  and  wheat  and 
have  cattle,  while  those  farther  west 
are  entirely  naked  and  live  on  roots 
and  seeds,  159  et  seq. ;  differences  exist 
between  those  of  the  two  Califomias, 
and  from  one  another  in  both,  180;  early 
visitors  differ  as  to  physical  character- 
istics of ,  1 8  0, 1 8 1 ;  tattooing,  their  dress 
or  nudity,  ornaments,  customs,  im- 
plements of  the  chase  and  for  fishing, 
rafts  or  balsas  for  transportation  by 
water,  food,  cooking,  family  life,  mar- 
riages, polygyny  etc., affections,  burial 
rites,  wars,  their  notion  of  a  future 
state,  temescal  or  hot-air  bath,  dis- 
eases and  their  treatment,  difference 
between  those  wild  and  those  domes- 
ticated and  those  living  near  the  mis- 
sions, 180-198;  conflict  of  authorities 
as  to  religious  ideas  or  superstitions 
of,  194;  dead  are  burned  with  cere- 
monies at  San  Francisco,  more  to  the 
south  they  are  always  buried,  and  near 
Santa  Barbara  there  were  inclosed 
cemeteries,  195;  parts  of  a  chief  or 
brave  man  killed  in  battle  are  eaten, 
and  eyes  plucked  out  and  preserved 
as  signs  of  victory,  195.  See  also 
Beechey,  Langsdorff,  Laperouse,  Pa- 
loii,  RoUin,  etc. 


INDEX 


363 


Indians,  tribes  or  divisions  of, — 
Alchedonia,162,181  Monqui,  21 
Cajuenche,  162  Papago,  162 

Cochimi,  21,49,50  Pericu,  21 
Cocomaricopas,  162  Pima,  162 
Cocopa,  162  Tallignaniay,162 

Edu,  21  Tamasabs,  162 

Laymon,  21  Tulareiios,  181 

Mohave,  162  Yuma,  162 

Irrigation,  33,  58;  unnecessary  around 
Bay  of  San  Francisco,  but  otherwise  in 
southern  part  of  California,  164,  257. 

Itamarra,  Francisco,  his  fruitless  attempt 
in  1 694  to  civilize  Lower  California,  1 3 . 

Iturbi  (or  Yturbi),  Juan,  expedition  to 
Gulf  of  California,  11 ;  finds  pearls,  65. 

Japanese  junks,  disabled,  found,  with 
survivors, —  one  off  Northwest  coast, 
299;  and  one  off  Oahu,  301.  See  also 
Asia. 

Jayme,  Luis,  O.F.,  killed  in  Indian  up- 
rising at  San  Diego,  122. 

Jennings,  John,  commander  of  British 
brig  Forester,  299.  See  also  Japanese 
junks. 

Jesuits,  undertake  spiritual  conquest  of 
Lower  California,  13;  their  labors  af- 
ter reaching  Loreto,  16  et  seq. ;  have 
law  enacted  to  protect  Indians  from 
pearl-fishers,  24,  67;  tribute  to  their 
self-sacrifice  and  devotion,  25,  26; 
means  employed  by  them  to  accom- 
plish their  ends  questioned,  26;  their 
efforts  to  gain  the  good-will  of  the 
Indians,  27;  progress  in  founding 
towns  and  in  conversions,  30;  general 
mode  of  proceeding  in  establishing 
settlements,49;  restrain  converts  after 
victory  over  wild  attacking  Indians, 
53;  missions  established  by  them  in 
Lower  California,  54,  55;  superseded 
by  Franciscans  upon  their  expulsion 
from  the  Spanish  dominions,  5  5, 80, 81 ; 
regard  of  the  Indians  for,  67. 

Kino  (Kuhn)  , Eusebio  Francisco,  S.  J. , 
accompanies  Atondo  to  Lower  Cali- 
fornia, 12;  originator  and  presiding 
genius  of  plan  of  spiritual  conquest  of 


California,  14;  remains  in  Sinaloa,  15; 
his  character  etc.,  15,  42;  his  death, 
42;  tribute  of  Venegas  to,  43,  44;  es- 
tablishes fact  that  California  is  a  part 
of  the  mainland,  45;  his  travels  to  the 
Gila  and  the  Colorado  and  on  the 
peninsula,  44,  45. 

Langsdorff,  George  Heinrich  von,  in 
California  in  1805,  80;  cited  as  to  wild 
horses  and  cattle,  beasts  of  prey,  and 
game  generally,  174;  fur-bearing  ani- 
mals, 176;  his  description  of  the  In- 
dians, their  feather  ornaments,  their 
skill  as  hunters,  181, 183, 193. 

La  Paz  (bay  and  town), point  of  discov- 
ery of  Lower  California  by  Ximenez  in 
1534,  and  named  SuntaCniz,7;  Cortes 
at,  in  1535,  8;  Vizcaino  at,  in  1596, and 
renames  place,  9;  Pericii  Indians  oc- 
cupy country  south  of  bay,  21;  mis- 
sion of  La  Paz  founded  near,47 ;  popu- 
lation of  town,  62;  gold  and  silver 
mines  near,  62 ;  Galvez  at,  82 ;  the  San 
Carlos  sails  from,  on  expedirion  for 
establishment  of  missions,  83,  84. 

Laperouse,  Jean  Fran(,-ois  Galaup,  visits 
California  in  1786,  80;  his  Voyage 
cited  passim ;  Franciscans  and  Domin- 
icans in  Lower  California,  55;  climate 
of  California,  163,  171;  describes  the 
Indians  as  small  and  weak,  181;  their 
stealth  in  pursuit  of  deer,  193;  asserts 
that  they  have  no  notion  of  a  god  or 
a  future  state,  194;  their  practice  of 
eating  parts  of  a  brave  enemy  killed 
in  battle,  scalping,  plucking  out  and 
preserving  their  eyes,  196;  the  teme- 
scal  and  its  use  described,  197;  num- 
ber of  missions  and  their  Indians  in 
1786,  200;  influence  of  pictures  in  the 
mission  churches,  213;  Indian  life  at 
the  missions  resembles  slavery,  220; 
Indian  games  and  gambling,  223;  re- 
port of  trade  in  otter-skins  in  1786, 
284. 

Lasso,  method  of  using,  and  skill  of  th^ 
Califomian  in  its  use,  273  et  seq. 

Link,  Wenceslaus,  S.J.,  his  route  to  the 
Rio  Colorado,  88. 


364 


INDEX 


Loreto,  its  garrison,  55;  the  capital  of 
Lower  California,  62 ;  pearl-fishery  at, 
71.  See  also  Franciscans,  Jesuits, 
San  Carlos,  Serra. 

Los  Angeles.  See  Nuestra  Seiiora  de 
los  Angeles. 

Lucenilla  y  Torres,  Francisco,  his  un- 
successful attempt  at  colonization  in 
Lower  California  in  1668,  12. 

Luyancio,  Juan  Bautista,  S.  J.,  founder 
of  mission  of  San  Ignacio,  49-51. 

Maize  (Indian  com),  the  staple  bread 
cereal  of  the  Californians,  247;  mode 
of  cultivation,  harvesting,  etc.,  247, 
253  et  seq. ;  the  injurious  insect  gorgo- 
jo,  255.     See  also  Agriculture,  Grain. 

Mazatlan,  exports  from  Lower  California 
shipped  to  port  of,  63. 

Mendoza.     See  Bezerra  y  Mendoza. 

Mescal,  spirits  distilled  from,  63. 

Mexico,  extent  of  territory  in  Californias 
claimed  by,  1;  religious  orders  in,  de- 
sirous of  conversion  of  Indians  in  Cali- 
fornia,  11;  Viceroy  and  Council  of, 
consider  secular  attempts  at  settle- 
ment of  Lower  California  failure,  and 
decide  to  leave  reduction  of  peninsula 
to  Jesuits,  13;  debt  of,  to  England, 
152;  not  much  commerce  between 
California  and,  281 ;  jealous  of  foreign 
ship-owners,  and  places  restrictions 
upon  them,  296  et  seq.  See  also 
Great  Britain,  Russia,  Texas. 

Minerals,  none  of  importance  found,  173. 
See  also  Gold,  Silver. 

Minutili,  Geronimo,  S.J.,at  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier,  38. 

Misionde  la  PurisimaConcepcion,  found- 
ed 1787,201. 

Mision  Nuestra  Senora  de  Guadalupe, 
founded  1720,47.     See  also  Helen. 

Mision  Nuestra  Seiiora  de  la  Soledad 
(or  Maria  Santisima  de  la  Soledad), 
founded  1791,  201. 

Mision  NuestraSenoradeLoretoConcho, 
the  first  mission  in  Lower  California, 
founded  1697, 16;  Indians  defeated  in 
uprising,  27-28;  garrison  erects  works 
for  defense,  a  chapel,  and  houses,  29; 


mutiny  of  garrison  and  discharge  of 
soldiers,  31.  See  also  Loreto,  Piccolo, 
Salvatierra;  Ugarte,  Juan. 

Mision  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Dolores 
del  Sur,  founded  1721,  and  was  valu- 
able as  an  asylum  when  the  other  mis- 
sions fell  from  the  allegiance  of  the 
missionaries,  48.     See  also  Guillen. 

Mision  Nuestra  Senora  del  Pilar  de  la 
Paz,  founded  1720,47. 

Mision  San  Antonio  de  Padua,  founded 
1771,  107;  severe  frost  destroys  grain 
at,  and  supposed  miraculous  restora- 
of  growth  by  irrigation,  108;  129. 
See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Buenaventura, founded  1782, 
129.     See  also  Vancouver. 

Mision  San  Carlos  Borromeo  de  Monte- 
rey (or  San  Carlos  del  Rio  Carmelo), 
founded  1770,  on  shore  of  Monterey 
Bay,  104;  its  removal  to  the  Rio  Car- 
melo, 105 ;  picture  of  hell  in  church  of, 
213.     See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Diego  de  Alcala,  the  first 
mission  in  Upper  California,  founded 
1769,  94;  uprising  and  defeat  of  Indi- 
ans, 95,  96;  arrival  of  overdue  San 
Antonio  when  shortage  of  provisions 
had  almost  brought  about  abandon- 
ment, her  appearance  and  disappear- 
ance a  few  days  before  being  regarded 
as  a  miracle  and  a  presage,  100-101. 
See  also  San  Diego,  Serra. 

Mision  San  Fernando deVelicata,founded 
1769,  87.     See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Fernando  Rey  de  Espana, 
founded  1797,  201. 

Mision  San  Francisco  de  Asis  (Dolores), 
founded  1776,127-129.  See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Francisco  de  Borja,  founded 
1762,  87.     See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Francisco  Solano  (Sonoma), 
founded  1823  (hence  not  in  Hum- 
boldt's table  on  p.  201,  ante),  202. 

Mision  San  Francisco  Xavier  de  Vigge- 
Viaundo,  founded  1699,  30,  31,  32; 
uprising  of  Indians  at,  37,  38;  39;  hur- 
ricane at,  washing  away  the  cultivable 
soil, 47.  See  also  Piccolo,  Salvatierra; 
Ugarte,  Juan. 


INDEX 


365 


Mision  San  Gabriel  Arcangel,  founded 
1771,  108  et  seq. ;  uprising  of  Indians 
subdued  by  display  of  image  of  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  109;  Serra 
visits,  113;  Garces  coldly  received  at, 
158.  See  also  Cambon,  San  Pedro, 
Somera. 

Mision  San  Ignacio  de  Kadalcanian  (or 
San  Ignacio  Loyola),  founded  1728,  in 
fertile  spot,  49;  success  in  conversion 
of  Indians  and  with  tropical  produce, 
51;  wild  Indian  attack  upon,  and  repri- 
sal by  garrison  and  converts,  52.  See 
also  Luyando,  Sistiaga. 

Mision  San  Jose,  founded  1797,  201. 

Mision  San  Jose  de  Comondu,  founded 
1708,  41. 

Mision  San  Jose  del  Cabo  de  San  Lucas, 
founded  1730,  53;  Indian  uprising  at, 
53.     See  also  Carranco,  Tamaral. 

Mision  San  Juan  Bxtutista  de  Ligui  (or 
Malibat),  founded  1705,  39.  See  also 
Ugarte,  Pedro. 

Mision  San  Juan  Bautista,  founded  1797, 
201. 

Mision  San  Juan  Capistrano,  founded 
1776,  126.    See  also  San  Juan,  Serra. 

Mision  San  Luis  Obispo  de  Tolosa, 
founded  1772,  113.     See  also  Serra. 

Mision  San  Miguel  Arcangel,  founded 
1797,201. 

Mision  San  Rafael  Arcangel,  founded 
1817  (not  in  Humboldt's  list,  p.  201, 
ante). 

Mision  Santa  Barbara,  founded  1786,129. 

Mision  SantaClaradeAsis,  founded  1777, 
129;   its  Indian  village,  211. 

Mision  Santa  Cruz,  founded  1791,  201. 

Mision  Santa  Ines,  founded  1804  (not 
in  Humboldt's  list,  p.  201,  ante). 

Mision  Santa  Rosa  de  la  Ensenada  de 
Pal  mas,  founded  1733,  53. 

Mision  Santa  Rosalia  de  Mulege,  founded 
1705,  39;  hurricane  at,  washing  away 
all  the  cultivable  soil,  47. 

Mision  Santiago  de  los  Coras,  founded 
1723,  48. 

Mision  Santiago  del  Sur,  55. 

***  See  pages  (not  cited)  54-55, 201, 202, 
259-260, 265-266,  for  lists  of  missions. 


Missionaries  ( Franciscans,  Jesuits) ,  their 
lenity  with  rebellious  Indians,  28, 53;  as 
men  of  affairs,  their  industry,  etc.,  33, 
227;  their  patience  with  the  Indians, 
33,34;  perseverance  and  methods,  37, 
40,  41,  227;  efforts  to  clothe  the  In- 
dians, 35;  manufacture  woolens,  36; 
venerated  by  the  Indians,  67, 230, 231; 
policy  to  grant  no  land  to  colonists,  and 
to  keep  the  soldiers  celibates,  132,  205, 
209;  ordered  by  Mexico  to  liberate 
intelligent  Indians,  and  apportion  lands 
to  them,  but  disastrous  results  to  the 
Indians  follow,  135;  salaries  reduced, 
but  restored  later,  135,136;  abundance 
at  the  missions,  138;  their  settlements 
hardly  beyond  Bay  of  San  Francisco, 
154;  their  intention  to  found  missions 
on  the  plains  of  theTulares,  163 ;  their 
success  in  conversions  owing  to  weak- 
ness of  Indian  character,  199;  their 
judgment  and  methods  criticised,  226; 
their  management  of  crops,  etc.,  227; 
their  humanity  and  fidelity,  227;  their 
methods  compared  with  Protestant 
endeavor,  23 1-245 ;  their  slaughter  and 
sale  of  cattle  in  anticipation  of  expul- 
sion from  missions,  283;  barter  cattle 
for  imported  necessaries,  285;  their 
hospitality  and  kindness  to  all  visitors, 
322.  See  also  Agriculture,  Coloniza- 
tion, Mision  etc.  (for  the  names  etc. 
of  the  missions).  Missions,  Presidios, 
Soldiers,  etc. 

Missions  (life  at,  management  of,  etc. ), 
how  Indians  treated,  27,  31  et  seq.; 
plan  to  make  them  self-supporting,  32 ; 
their  management  reduced  to  a  sys- 
tem, 56;  investment  of  their  funds  to 
secure  salaries,  56;  civil  and  religious 
economy,  57;  subsistence  and  clothing 
of  the  Indians,  57,  58;  irrigation  and 
cultivation  of  the  soil,  58;  life  at  and 
management  of,  the  duties  of  the  pa- 
dres, Indian  workmen  or  church  offi- 
cers and  converts,  children,  soldiers, 
etc.,  56-61 ;  wretched  condition  of  the 
Indians,  62;  their  welfare  the  main 
object  of  settlement  of  country,  and 
are  almost  independent  of  the  Mexican 


366 


INDEX 


government,  133;  disastrous  results 
follow  order  to  liberate  and  give  land 
to  intelligent  Indians,  135;  padres  re- 
monstrate, and  restorations  made,  136; 
frustration  of  attempt  to  colonize  and 
exploit  their  lands  and  property,  142; 
population  and  names  of  missions,  pre- 
sidios, and  pueblos,  201,  202;  their 
government  by  the  padres,  the  lands 
allotted  to  them,  their  buildings  and 
Indian  huts,  210  et  seq. ;  their  store- 
houses, workshops,  soldiers'  quarters, 
etc.,  212;  how  sexes  kept  apart,  212, 
220 ;  construction  and  contents  of  their 
churches,  212,  213 ;  how  wild  Indians 
secured  and  converted,  216  et  seq. ; 
religious  services,  and  punishment  for 
inattention,  218;  daily  routine  of  life, 
industries,  etc.,  219,  220;  separation 
of  sexes,  and  punishment  for  violation 
of  rules,  220 ;  escape  of  Indians  seldom 
successful,  and  severe  punishment  pro- 
vided, 221;  the  games  takersia  and 
tousse,  playing-cards,  gambling,  and 
intoxication,  222, 223 ;  ravages  of  acute 
diseases,  225;  grain  produced,  259- 
260;  domestic  cattle,  265-266;  ex- 
emption from  taxation,  302;  debt  of 
the  Mexican  government  to,  for  sup- 
plies furnished  to  Mexican  officials, 
308;  employment  of  foreign  mechan- 
ics, 322.  See  also  Beechey,  Langs- 
dorff,  Laperouse,  Vancouver;  Agri- 
culture, Cattle,  Grain,  Indians,  Mis- 
sionaries, Mision  etc.  (for  names  of  the 
missions),  Pious  Fund,  Presidios,  etc. 
Monterey,  its  harbor  discovered  by  Viz- 
caino, 10;  failure  of  Kino  to  reach, 45; 
Galvez  plans  to  establish  mission  at, 
83;  climate,  164;  its  bay  described, 
166,  329;  considered  the  capital  of 
California,  167,  207;  its  bay  the  chief 
resort  for  foreign  vessels,  167 ;  sea  and 
shell  fish  found  in  bay,  179;  pirates 
pillage, 204;  its  presidio, 204;  Spanish 
squadron  at,  281;  English  merchants 
seek  to  trade  at,  282 ;  Mexican  customs 
station,  302.  See  also  Anza,  Domin- 
guez,  Portola,  Serra,  Vancouver,  etc. ; 
Mision  San  Carlos,  etc. 


Moran,  Antonio,  master  weaver,  brought 
by  Juan  Ugarte  to  instruct  Indians,  36. 

Mulege  River,  Juan  Ugarte  builds  ship 
at,  47. 

Mules.     See  Cattle. 

Najera,  Manuel,  prior  of  Carmelite 
convent  at  Guadalajara,  possessor  of 
rare  books  and  MSS.,  renders  valu- 
able service  to  the  author,  157. 

Nootka  Sound  dispute,  281. 

Norfolk  Sound,  governor  of  the  Russian 
settlement  at,  sends  home  Japanese 
survivors  found  on  disabled  junk,  300. 

NuestraSeiioradelosAngeles,  pueblo  of, 
Rivera  at,  85 ;  near  Mision  San  Gabriel 
Arcangel,  207;  population,  govern- 
ment, proposed  as  capital  of  California, 
fertility  of  its  soil,  its  vineyards  etc., 
207,  208. 

Olives  and  olive-oil,  51,  63,  264. 
Ortega,  Francisco,  makes  three  voyages 

to  Lower  California,  12. 
Otondo.     See  Atondo. 
O'vis  pygargus.     See  Berendo. 
Ox-cart,  Calif ornian,  described,  251. 
Oxen,  Spanish  method  of  yoking  by  the 

horns,  and  the  Spaniard's  reason  for 

doing  so,  249-251. 

Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company, 
332  et  seq. 

Paloii,  Francisco,  O.F. ,  author  of  Life 
of  Serra,  80,  cited  passim;  departure 
of  the  land  and  the  sea  expeditions  for 
Upper  California,  85;  ceremony  of 
taking  possession  of  the  soil,  87;  found- 
ing of  the  mission  of  San  Diego,  and 
the  Indian  uprising,  94  et  seq. ;  Serra's 
chagrin  upon  failure  to  baptize  infant, 
97;  arrival  of  the  San  Antonio  at  San 
Diego  when  party  ready  to  abandon 
country  for  lack  of  supplies,  101 ;  sup- 
posed miracle  in  restoring  growth  of 
wheat  by  irrigation,  108;  Indian  up- 
rising, and  death  of  Luis  Jayme,  119  et 
seq. ;  founding  of  presidio  and  mission 
of  San  Francisco,  127;  Indian  customs 
and  physical  differences,  182;   habits 


INDEX 


367 


of  the  Indians,  their  food,  scant  dress 
of  females,  nudity  of  males,  marriage, 
polygyny,  different  languages,  but  hab- 
its and  customs  the  same,  188-191; 
Indians  not  idolatrous,  some  pretend 
to  supernatural  powers,  their  supersti- 
tion as  to  cause  of  sickness,  their  dis- 
posal of  the  dead,  194-195. 

Panama,  projects  of  building  a  railroad 
across  isthmus,  and  of  establishing  a 
line  of  steamers  on  west  coast,  also  of 
cutting  a  canal,  315  et  seq. ;  distances 
to  Pacific  ports  from,  334-335. 

Parron,  Fernando,  O.F.,  on  San  Carlos 
with  Vila,  84;  at  San  Diego,  89;  in 
attack  by  Indians  at  San  Diego,  95. 

Pasturage,  abundant  and  rich,  affords  con- 
genial employment  to  Spaniards,  265. 

Pearls,  display  of  valuable,  excites  desire 
for  conquest  of  California,  11;  attract 
adventurers,  23;  history  of  the  indus- 
try, —  how  conducted,  how  regarded 
by  the  missionaries,  the  government's 
share  in  the  output,  Indian  divers, 
pearl  merchants,  etc.,  64-75.  See 
also  Jesuits;   California,  Lower,  etc. 

Perez,  Juan,  commands  the  San  Antonio 
from  Cape  San  Lucas  to  San  Diego, 
84;  commands  the  frigate  Santiago  on 
her  first  northern  voyage  (114),  is 
second  in  command  (piloto)  on  her  sec- 
ond voyage,  and  dies  at  sea,  116,  117. 
See  also  Bucareli,  Heceta,  Serra. 

Peyri,  Antonio,  O.  F. ,  his  successful 
management  of  San  Luis  Rey,  and  his 
retirement,  228,  229. 

Piccolo,  Francisco  Maria,  S.  J.,  associate 
of  Salvatierra,  1  5 ;  at  Loreto  with  sup- 
plies, 28 ;  founds  San  Francisco  Xavier, 
30,  32;   his  return  thereto,  37,  38. 

Pichilingue,  harbor,  62. 

Pifiadero,  Bernardo  Bernal,  attempts  a 
settlement  at  Lower  California,  12; 
pearls  found  on  his  expedition,  65. 

Pious  Fund  (Fondo  Piadoso),  donations 
and  bequests,  houses  and  land,  consoli- 
dated for  benefit  of  missions,  131; 
managed  by  convent  of  San  Fernando, 
132;  misapplication  of  fund,  137. 

Pirates,  pillage  and  burn  Monterey,  204. 


Plow,  Califomian,  description  and  wood- 
cut of,  247,  248.      See  also  Oxen  etc. 

Population  of  missions,  presidios,  and 
pueblos,  200,  201,  202. 

Portola,  Gaspar,  governor  of  California, 
and  commander  of  the  land  expedi- 
tion to  march  to  San  Diego,  leaves 
Loreto  with  its  second  division,  85; 
at  Velicata  with  Serra,  87;  arrives  at 
San  Diego,  89 ;  leaves  in  command  of 
the  united  divisions  for  Monterey,  and 
passes  the  harbor  without  identifying 
it,  but  reaches  the  harbor  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  returns  to  San  Diego,  92- 
93 ;  leaves  again  by  land  for  Monterey, 
while  Serra  proceeds  by  sea,  and  both 
reach  the  port,  101. 

Potato,  thrives  well  in  California,  but 
not  staple  food,  262. 

Pottery,  Indian,  9.     See  also  Indians. 

Pozole  (cooked  corn),  27,  33,  57. 

Prat,  Pedro,  naval  surgeon,  on  the  San 
Carlos  with  Vila,  84. 

Presidios,  or  presidencies,  number  and 
population,  202,  203 ;  their  buildings 
inclosed  by  walls  of  adobe,  203 ;  ineffi- 
ciency of  their  castillos,  or  forts,  with 
a  few  guns  of  small  caliber,  203,  204; 
their  compantas  de  cueras,  poorly  clad 
horse  troops,  the  refuse  of  the  Mexican 
army,  205 ;  are  receptacles  for  trans- 
ported felons,  206,  their  expense,  307, 
See  also  Monterey,  San  Francisco,  San 
Diego,  Santa  Barbara,  Soldiers. 

Pnncesa,The,  and  the  Favorita,  sail  from 
San  Bias,  under  Arteaga,  on  voyage  of 
discovery,  and  "Strait  of  Bucareli" 
and  "Santiago"  discovered,  117;  at 
San  Francisco  on  return,  118,  119; 
Serra  goes  to  San  Diego  in  Princesa, 
126.     See  also  Bucareli. 

Pueblos,  or  towns,  only  three  in  Califor- 
nia, independent  of  the  missions  and 
presidios,  206;  formed  for  retired  sol- 
diers, 206;  most  fertile  spots  chosen, 
207.  See  also  Branciforte,  Nuestra 
Sefiora  de  los  Angeles,  San  Jose  de 
Guadalupe. 

Rains  and   fogs,  in  Upper  California, 


368 


INDEX 


164.    See  also  California, Lower;  San 
Francisco. 

Raisins,  264. 

Ranchos,  or  national  farms,  attached  to 
the  presidios,  for  the  use  of  soldiers, 
meant  to  be  also  depositories  of  tithes 
of  grain  and  cattle,  206. 

Revenue,  none  in  California  before  Mex- 
ican revolution,  tithes  payable  by  free 
settlers,  missions  exempt,  302;  criti- 
cism of  Mexican  tariff  system  and  fis- 
cal management,  302-306;  deficit,  307; 
military  and  civil  officials  resort  to  mis- 
sions for  maintenance,  308.  See  also 
Customs  duties,  Monterey,  San  Diego. 

Revolutions,  against  Mexico,  at  Monte- 
rey, in  1836, 149  et  seq. ;  against  Spain, 
in  1821,  and  its  effect  on  commerce, 
282. 

Rio  Colorado,  or  Red  River,  a  boundary 
of  the  Californias,  2, 154;  discolors  the 
waters  of  the  gulf,  8 ;  44 ;  Indians  of 
its  borders  erroneously  considered  as 
fierce, —  numerous,  in  low  state,  but 
cultivate  grain  and  have  cattle,  155  et 
seq.,  and  are  of  the  same  race  as  those 
at  the  missions,  185.  See  also  Anza, 
Gila  River,  Indians  etc. ,  Link. 

Rivera  y  Moncada,  Fernando  Xavier, 
comandante  of  the  presidio  of  Loreto, 
leaves  Santa  Ana  in  command  of  first 
division  of  the  Portola  land  expedition, 
85;  arrives  at  San  Diego,  86;  leaves, 
as  second  in  command,  with  Portola  on 
first  land  expedition  to  Monterey,  92. 

Rivers  of  Upper  California,  derive  names 
mostly  from  missions,  165-166, — 
Jesus  Maria  San  Gabriel 

Los  Angeles  San  Joaquin 

Pajaro  San  Juan  Capistrano 

Rio  del  Rancho    Santa  Ana 
Sacramento  Santa  Clara 

San  Buenaventura  Santa  Cruz 
San  Carlos  Santa  Ines 

Rodeo  (the  rounding  up  and  branding 
etc.  of  cattle),  a  time  of  amusement 
and  festivity  in  California,  273. 

Rollin,  M.,  surgeon  with  Laperouse,  his 
description  of  temescal,  or  hot-air 
bath,  197. 


Russians,  their  settlement  at  Bodega,  1 ; 
suspicions  that  California  might  fall 
Into  their  hands,  147;  fears  of  British 
government  concerning,  151,  152; 
their  hospitality,  271,  327;  exports  of 
wheat  to  their  settlements  on  North- 
west coast,  282;  Mexicans  threaten 
to  drive  them  out,  331. 

Salvatierra,  Juan  MarIa,  S.J.,  directs 
first  attempt  in  execution  of  plan  of 
spiritual  conquest  of  California,  15; 
sails  from  Yaqui,  arrives  in  Lower 
California,  and  founds  mission  of  Lo- ' 
reto,  16,  17;  learns  language  of  and 
ingratiates  himself  with  the  natives,  27; 
his  humanity  during  Indian  attack,  28 ; 
by  instructing  adults,  children  are  hos- 
tages, 29;  his  letter  in  regard  to  debts, 
and  discharge  of  refractory  soldiers,  3 1 ; 
appointed  provincial  in  Mexico,  and 
reports  conditions  to  Viceroy,  38,  39; 
visits  California,  and  advises  founding 
more  missions,  39;  resigns  as  provin- 
cial, and  again  returns  to  California, 
41;  secures  the  enactment  of  laws  for 
better  government,  46;  reduces  mis- 
sion management  to  a  system,  56. 

San  Antonio  (or  Principe),  The,  under 
Perez,  sent  by  Galvez  from  Cape  San 
Lucas  to  San  Diego,  with  supplies  for 
the  new  missions,  84;  arrives  at  des- 
tination with  scurvy  on  board,  85,  86, 
89;  sent  to  San  Bias,  and  nine  die  dur- 
ing voyage,  92, 99 ;  her  appearance  and 
disappearance  off  port  of  San  Diego, 
and  her  arrival  four  days  later,  101; 
leaves  San  Bias  for  San  Diego,  with 
supplies  and  ten  missionaries,  and  ar- 
rives with  all  on  board  affected  with 
scurvy,  105 ;  arrives  at  San  Diego  from 
San  Bias,  with  supplies,  after  long  voy- 
age, 114. 

San  Antonio,  Its  population,  62;  insig- 
nificant gold-mines  at,  63. 

San  Bias,  Serra  at,  81 ;  89;  the  San  Anto- 
nio arrives  at,  from  San  Diego,  92 ;  the 
San  Carlos  sails  from,  for  Loreto,  and 
the  San  Antonio  for  San  Diego,  105; 
Bucareli  dissuaded  by  Serra  from  aban- 


INDEX 


369 


doning  marine  establishment  at,  and 
orders  frigate  ( Santiago )  built,  113;  the 
San  Antonio,  and  the  Santiago  with 
Serra,  sail  from,  for  Monterey,  114;  the 
Princesa  built  at,  117;  the  Princesa 
and  the  Favorita  sail  from,  under  Ar- 
teaga,  117;  Franciscan  friars  at,  on  way 
to  California,  138-142;  declares  for 
Santa  Anna,  142;  supplies  for  missions 
sent  from,  281;  Spanish  squadron  at, 
281;  exports  from  California  sent  to, 
282.     Sec  also  Figueroa,  etc. 

San  Buenaventura,  plan  for  mission  at,  83. 

San  CarIos,The,undcrVila,with  supplies 
for  new  missions,  sails  from  La  Paz  for 
San  Diego,  83-86,  89;  leaves  San  Bias 
for  Loreto  with  supplies,  and  has  dis- 
astrous voyage,  105-107;  leaves  San 
Diego,  with  Serra,  for  San  Bias,  113; 
leaves  San  Bias  for  Monterey,  with 
supplies,  is  driven  up  gulf,  damaged, 
and  reaches  Loreto,  113. 

San  Diego,  port  of,  2 ;  its  harbor  discov- 
ered by  Vizcaino,  10;  plan  for  mission 
at,  83;  its  harbor  described,  167,  330; 
presidio  of,  203 ;  customs  collector  ap- 
pointed for,  302;  supplies  for  shipping, 
and  facilities  for  establishing  wharves, 
docks,  arsenals,  331.  See  also  Eche- 
andia,  Franciscans,  Indians,  Mision 
San  Diego,  Missionaries,  Missions, 
Portola,  Serra;  San  Antonio,  The; 
San  Bias ;  San  Carlos,  The ;  San  Jose, 
The;  etc. 

San  Dionisio,  Bay  of,  site  of  Atondo's 
camp,  and  of  mission  of  Loreto,  16. 

San  Fernando,  Mexico,  convent  of,  fur- 
nishes Franciscan  missionaries  for  spir- 
itual conquest  of  California,  80  et  pas- 
sim. 

San  Francisco  (port,  bay,  etc.),  the  bay 
the  northern  limit  of  Spanish  settle- 
ment, 1, 10;  Vizcaino  at  (old  harbor), 
in  1603,  and  Drake  in  1579,  10;  Por- 
tola Monterey  land  expedition  at,  in 
1769,  93,  94;  the  Princesa  and  the 
Favorita,  under  Arteaga,  arrive  at,  in 
1779,  118;  founding  of  the  presidio 
and  mission  in  1776,  and  survey  of  the 
harbor,  finding  only  one  outlet  to  the 
24 


ocean,  126-128;  Indian  war  at,  128; 
heterogeneous  colony  from  Mexico 
driven  away  from,  145 ;  most  fertile 
lands,  and  those  best  fitted  for  Euro- 
pean settlement,  around  and  north  of 
the  bay,  154,  323 ;  rains  are  more  gen- 
eral around  bay,  and  irrigation  is  un- 
necessary, 164, 257;  mean  annual  tem- 
perature 53.2°,  165;  rivers  flowing  into 
bay,  165 ;  port  is  the  largest  and  safest 
on  western  coast,  and  one  of  the  most 
capacious  in  the  world,  166;  effect  of 
sea-winds  and  fogs  in  exposed  situa- 
tions, 1 69 ;  Indians  of,  bum  their  dead, 
with  attendant  ceremonies,  195;  pre- 
sidio of,  203 ;  port,  for  size  and  safety, 
hardly  surpassed  in  world,  312;  lands 
around  bay  favorable  for  raising  grain 
and  rearing  cattle,  323 ;  natural  advan- 
tages for  agricultural  pursuits,  and  for 
communication  by  water,  323;  harbor 
described,  sailing  directions,  327,328; 
secure  anchorage,  and  facilities  for  es- 
tablishing wharves,  docks,  arsenals, 
331.    See  also  Mision  San  Francisco. 

San  Jose  de  Guadalupe  (pueblo  or  town) , 
near  the  mission  of  Santa  Clara,  207; 
its  government,  inhabitants,  etc.,  208. 

San  Jose,  The,  sails  from  Loreto  witli 
mission  supplies,  and  is  lost,  84,  85. 

San  Juan,  its  bay  described,  168;  sailing 
directions,  etc.,  330. 

San  Juan  Londo,  site  of  a  mission,  39. 

San  Lucas,  Cape,  1,  20;  the  San  Antonio 
sails  from,  for  San  Diego,  84. 

San  Luis,  Bay  of,  86. 

San  Pedro,  Port,  described,  168;  anchor- 
age etc.,  near  Mision  San  Gabriel,  329. 

San  Quintin,  excellence  of  port,  330,  331. 

Sandwich  Islands,  exports  to,  283.  See 
also  Commerce;  Japanese  junks. 

Santa  Ana,  85.     See  also  Rivera. 

Santa  Anna,  AntonioLopez,  140, 144, 152. 

Santa  Barbara,  bay  and  channel  described, 
167;  inclosed  Indian  cemetery  at,  195 ; 
its  presidio  described,  203;  anchorage, 
tides,  etc.,  of  harbor,  329.  See  also 
Mision  Santa  Barbara. 

Santa  Clara.  See  Mision  Santa  Clara; 
Vancouver. 


370 


INDEX 


Santa  Cruz  (island),  Upper  California, 
167. 

Santa  Cruz,  Lower  California.  See  La  Paz. 

Santa  Fe.     See  Dominguez. 

Santiago  (or  Nueva  Galicia),  The,  built 
at  San  Bias,  113;  leaves  for  Monterey 
under  Perez,  is  obliged  to  put  into  San 
Diego  for  repairs,  and  voyage  resumed 
to  Monterey  later,  114;  proceeds  on 
northern  voyage  of  discovery,  and  re- 
turns to  Monterey,  115,  116;  leaves 
San  Bias  under  Heceta  and  Perez,  with 
schooner  (Sonora)  under  Bodega,  on 
second  voyage  of  discovery,  and  re- 
turns to  Monterey,  finding  there,  the 
schooner,  previously  lost  sight  of  in 
gale,  116,  117.     See  also  Serra. 

Serra,  Junipero,  O.  F. ,  nominated  father- 
president  to  undertake  spiritual  con- 
quest of  UpperCalifornia,  80,81;  leaves 
convent  of  San  Fernando,  81;  at  Lo- 
reto,  and  approves  plan  of  Galvez,  82; 
at  Velicata  with  Portoki,  87;  founds 
mission  of  San  Fernando,  87 ;  his  letter 
to  Palou  from  San  Diego,  89-92; 
founds  mission  of  San  Diego,  94;  in 
Indian  attack  at  mission,  95;  his  sor- 
row when  Indian  parents  prevent  bap- 
tism of  infant,  98;  goes  to  Monterey 
on  the  San  Antonio,  101 ;  his  letter  to 
Palou,  102  et  seq. ;  founds  mission  of 
San  Carlos,  104;  letter  to  chief  of  col- 
lege of  San  Fernando  results  in  more 
missionaries  being  sent,  105;  founds 
mission  of  San  Antonio,  107;  letter  to 
Palou,  110;  resolves  to  go  to  Mexico, 
and  on  way  founds  San  Luis  Obispo 
and  visits  San  Gabriel,  112,  113;  sails 
on  the  San  Carlos  from  San  Diego,  113; 
his  success  with  Bucareli,  113;  leaves 
city  of  Mexico,  and  sails  on  the  Santi- 
ago from  San  Bias,  leaves  her  at  San 
Diego,  meets  Anza  on  way  to  Monte- 
rey, 114, 115;  goes  on  the  Princesato 
San  Diego  after  Indian  uprising,  125; 
on  way  to  found  San  Juan  Capistrano, 
is  saved  from  death  by  Indian,  126; 
returns  to  Monterey,  and  makes  prep- 
arations for  founding  of  mission  of  San 
Francisco,  126;  his  death  (at  San  Car- 


los), 129;  sketch  of  his  life  by  Palou, 
129;  his  plan  of  colonization  and  man- 
agement carried  on  by  his  successors, 
131. 

Sheep,  raising  of,  at  missions,  35;  infe- 
rior breed  all  over  Spanish  America, 
and  breeding  of  merinos  discouraged 
by  Spanish  government,  277-278.  See 
also  Cattle. 

Ship-building,  first  ship  built  in  the  Cali- 
fomias  (the  Triunfo  de  la  Cruz),  47; 
California  rich  in  material  for,  and  for 
marine  stores,  147.  See  also  Bucareli, 
Princesa,  San  Bias,  Santiago,  Ugarte. 

Silver,  said  to  exist  in  peninsula,  63. 

Sistiaga,  Sebastian,  S.  J.,  assists  Luyando 
at  founding  of  San  Ignacio,  50. 

Soap,  63.     See  also  Amole. 

Soldiers,  with  Salvatierra,  16;  hated  by 
Indians,  17;  prohibited  from  diving  for 
pearls,  24 ;  padres  protect  Indians  from 
their  cruelties,  26,  31;  disperse  Indian 
attacks  on  Loreto,  28,  29;  mutiny  at 
Loreto  from  want  of  pay  etc. ,  and  be- 
cause of  restraints,  and  are  dismissed, 
30,  31;  dismissed  from  San  Francisco 
Xavier  for  ill  conduct,  32;  suffer  with 
Indians  from  fevers,  42;  included  in 
new  law  for  better  government,  46; 
only  two  in  band  of  converts  making 
reprisal  on  wild  Indians,  52;  paid  by 
government,  but  padres  control,  except 
in  military  matters,  56;  their  duties, 
59,  60;  heroism  of,  at  San  Diego,  96; 
cannot  marry  without  permission,  132; 
powers  and  duties  of  comandante  of 
troops,  133;  commissioned  and  non- 
commissioned officers  sent  to  repre- 
sent California  in  Mexican  legislature, 
134;  mutiny  of ,  on  way  to  Monterey 
with  Figueroa,  139;  companias  de  cue- 
ras,  205;  those  sent  to  California  are 
refuse  of  Mexican  army,  deserters,  etc. , 
205;  grants  of  lands  in  pueblos  to  re- 
tired, 206;  how  quartered  at  missions, 
212;  worthless  character  of,  212;  in 
rags,  and  obtain  subsistence  at  mis- 
sions, 308.     See  also  Presidios. 

Somera,  Angel,  O.  F.,  at  founding  of 
mission  of  San  Gabriel,  109. 


INDEX 


371 


Sonora-Monterey  route,  157.  See  also 
Anza,  Serra. 

Sonera,  schooner,  accompanies  the  San- 
tiago on  her  second  northern  voyage, 
116;  returns  to  Monterey,  117.  See 
also  Bodega  y  Quadra. 

Sorcerers  (hechiceros,or Indian  priests), 
19;  incite  Indians  to  expel  mission- 
aries, 29;  further  efforts,  on  breaking 
out  of  smallpox  etc.,  42. 

Southey,  Robert,  his  Tale  of  Paraguay 
cited,  26,  222,  225,  232. 

Spain,  discovery  and  settlement  of  Cali- 
fornia by,  2 ;  monarchs  of,  desirous  of 
conversion  of  the  Indians,  11 ;  discour- 
ages propagation  of  fine  grapes  and 
sheep,  277,  278;  possessions  of,  on 
Pacific  coast,  286;  neglect  of  and  re- 
strictions upon  commerce  and  naviga- 
tion by,  in  America,  286  et  seq. ;  fiscal 
lavps  and  practices  of,  criticised,  304. 

Spanish  navigation,  deplorable  state  of, 
on  Pacific  coast,  84,  119;  severe  laws 
regarding  mariners  and  navigation, 
customs  duties,  accounts  of  unduly 
long  voyages,  abuse  of  authority  by 
officials,  etc.,  289  et  seq. 

Spirits,  distilled,  63. 

Spiritual  conquest  (conquista  espiritual) 
of  California,  by  the  Jesuits,  how 
financed,  1 3  et  seq. ;  power  delegated 
by  government  to  and  assumed  by 
padres,  15,  16;  undertaken  by  Fran- 
ciscans upon  expulsion  of  Jesuits,  80. 
See  also  Galvez,  Kino,  Piccolo,  Pious 
Fund,  Salvatierra,  Serra,  Ugarte. 

Steam-navigation,  proposed  line  of  steam- 
ships for  exploitation  of  Pacific  coast 
via  Isthmus  of  Panama,  332  et  seq. 

Swine,  not  much  propagated  in  Califor- 
nia, but  otherwise  in  Mexico,  279.  See 
also  Cattle. 

Takersia,  a  game  played  by  Indians,  222. 
Tamaral,    Nicolas,   S.J.,  murdered    by 

Indians  at  San  Jose  del  Cabo,  53,  54. 
Taraval,  Sigisimundo,  S.J.,  his  opinion 

as  to  Indian  languages,  21. 
Taye,  or  argali,  175.     See  also  Berendo. 
Tehuantepec,  Cortes  equips  ships  at,  8. 


Temescal,  or  hot-air  bath,  196-197. 

Tepic,  Franciscans  at,  on  way  to  Cali- 
fornia, 138. 

Texas,  possible  settlers  from,  152;  ces- 
sion of  lands  in,  to  Great  Britain,  153. 

Textile  materials.   See  Flax,  Hemp,  etc. 

Tiburon,  its  Indians,  pearis,  etc.,  73. 

Tobacco.     See  Cimarron. 

Tousse,  a  game  played  by  Indians,  223. 

Towns,  or  pueblos.  See  Branciforte, 
Nuestra  Seiiora  de  los  Angeles,  San 
Jose  de  Guadalupe. 

Trees,  shrubs,  etc. ,  great  number  of,  but 
few  indigenous  fruit-bearing  trees,  172. 
See  also  Vancouver. 

Tucson  (orTu^on;  Papago,  Tu-uk-so- 
6n),160,  163. 

Tulares  (tules),  plains  of  the,  156;  Gar- 
ces  traverses,  158;  intention  of  the 
Franciscans  to  found  missions  on,  163 ; 
Indians  of,  185. 

Tule  (or  bulrush), Indians  construct  rafts 
of,  91,  189,  191;  women  wear  girdles 
of,  18,  189. 

Ugarte,  Juan,  S.J.,  associate  in  plan  of 
spiritual  conquest,  15;  sends  supplies 
and  soldiers  to  Loreto,  29,  30;  arrives 
at  Loreto,  and  appointed  to  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier,  31;  applies  principle  of 
making  missions  self-supporting,  32; 
character  of,  31,  32,  36,  37;  as  over- 
seer, carpenter,  etc.,  33,  36;  his  treat- 
ment of  insolent  Indian,  34;  makes  and 
exports  wine,  35;  his  success  with 
crops  and  cattle,  and  in  manufacturing 
woolens,  35-37;  builds  vessel  at  Mu- 
leje,  47;  sails  on  voyage  of  discovery 
in  gulf,  reaches  the  Colorado,  and  con- 
firms statements  of  Kino,  48. 

Ugarte,  Pedro,  S.  J. ,  founds  San  Juan  Bau- 
tista  de  Ligui,  39;  his  character,  39,40; 
his  successful  methods  with  the  Indi- 
ans, 40,  41. 

Ulloa,  Francisco,  commands  exploring 
expedition  in  gulf,  9. 

United  States,  likelihood  of  invasion  of 
California  by  frontiersmen  etc.  from, 
151,  152;  hunters,  traders,  trappers, 
etc.,  from,  155.     See  also  Americans. 


372 


INDEX 


Valdivia,  Chile,  286. 

Vallejo,  Mariano  Guadalupe,  appointed 
comandante- general  by  provisional 
government,  at  Monterey,  in  1836, 
upon  declaration  of  independence  of 
Mexican  rule,  150. 

Vancouver,  George,  visits  California  in  ' 
1792,  80;  his  journey  from  Monterey 
to  Santa  Clara,  169;  his  description  of 
the  garden  at  San  Buenaventura  mis- 
sion, 171;  skill  and  stealth  of  Indians 
in  deer-hunting  exhibited  to,  193 ; 
the  new  missions  he  finds  established 
on  his  second  visit  (1793),  200. 

Vegetables,  green,  171;  not  much  used, 
263;   plentiful  at  Bodega,  327. 

Velez  de  Escalante,  Father  Silvestrc.  See 
Dominguez. 

Velicata,  Rivera  at,  86;  Crespi  at,  86; 
Serra  at,  and  establishes  mission  of  San 
Fernando,  87;   Portola  at,  87. 

Venegas,  Miguel,  S.J.,  his  Noticiade  la 
California  cited  passim;  valuable  pearls, 
11;  Atondo's  fruitless  and  expensive 
expedition,  12;  spiritual  conquest  of 
California,  13;  Kino's  vow,  15;  Sal- 
vatierra's  arrival  in  Lower  California, 
16;  Indian  sorcerers,  19-20;  pearl- 
fishers  etc.,  24;  tribute  to  self-denial 
etc.  of  missionaries,  25;  celebration 
after  victory  over  Indians,  28;  labors 
of  the  missionaries,  29-53;  religious 
and  civil  economy  of  missions,  57  et 
seq. ;   the  Indians,  181-187. 


Vigge  Mountains,  site  of  mission,  32. 

Vila,  Vicente,  commands  San  Carlos,  84. 

Vitis  njimfera,  173;  vine  thrives  well, 
264.     See  also  Grape. 

Vizcaino,  Juan,  O.F.,  84,  89;  in  Indian 
attack  at  San  Diego, 95;  wounded,  97. 

Vizcaino,  Sebastian,  his  expedition  to  gulf 
and  futile  attempt  at  settlement,  9, 10; 
explores  west  coast,  discovers  ports  of 
San  Diego,  Monterey,  (old)  San  Fran- 
cisco, 10,  79;  examines  port  of  Mag- 
dalena,  10;  insufficiency  of  his  descrip- 
tion of  port  of  Monterey  to  satisfy 
Portola  of  its  identity,  93. 

Wheat,  how  cultivated  etc.  in  Califor- 
nia, 246  et  seq.    See  also  Flour,  Grain. 

W^ild-fowl,  163.  See  also  Beechey,  La- 
perouse. 

Wine  and  brandy,  35,  58,  63,  264,  330. 

Wine-grape,  173.     See  also  Grape. 

Wool,  inferior  quality  of,  277. 

XiMENEZ,  FoRTUNO,  piloto  of  Grfjalva, 
de  facto  discoverer  of  Lower  California 
in  1534,  killed  at  La  Paz,  7. 

Yaqui  River,  Salvatierra  sails  from,  16; 

pearl-fishers'  port  of  departure,  72. 
Yturbi.     See  Iturbi. 

Zacatecas,  Franciscan  friars  from  con- 
vent of,  on  way  to  California,  138-142. 
Zuiiiga,  Caspar,  Viceroy  of  New  Spain,  9. 


THE    END 


Printed  by  Thomas  C.  Russell,  at  1734  Nineteenth  Avenue 
San  Francisco,  California,  United  States  oj  America 


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